Dachi
by Kazima Kuwabara
Summary: "We'll meet again in the next life." Is this a promise, or a threat? In which trouble from the past refuses to stay dead, and if it must die again-its taking someone with them. (warnings: Character death)
1. Prologue: Dreams

Hello, I hope you enjoy this story. This is really my attempt at writing a horror story, but at the same time I feel like it's so much more than that. There action, adventure, mystery-it was really hard to classify it! I hope you enjoy the ride and enjoy the story! Critiques are always welcomed!

* * *

For a moment, sleep was peaceful. He had no way of knowing how long that moment was; it could have been seconds, minutes, hours...but for now all was peaceful. He was finally, for a splendid moment getting some rest. After that moment of blissful darkness...he began to dream of snow.

 _The world was white._

 _His footsteps crunched in the cold slurry, the woman at his side barely making a sound as she walked beside him. A child ran past him, brushing his leg. Their giggle chased after them like an evening shadow, echoing high all around them._

 _"Careful!" The woman called, her voice cautious, but amused. The child shouted something back, and the woman giggled in response. He turned to look at her, and the two shared a pleasant laugh, like old friends._

 _He could not make out her face._

 _He turned to look at the child. She looked like a little doll...wearing red and holding a ball while standing ankle deep in the snow. She was a charming little girl, and caused him to feel an instant spark of protectiveness._

 _He took another step and fell through the snow. The world was spinning in white, gray, blue...black. It was dark all around him._

 _"You should leave," Kurama's voice coldly bounced around him._

 _"Kurama?" He turned, relieved to hear the voice of a friend. But the person standing before him was not the Kurama he knew now._

 _Youko Kurama was cloaked in white, his eyes shining like the cruelest of golds. He was angry, and his face was twitching as he contained a snarl, "You should... LEAVE!"_

 _Youko Kurama's voice broke off into an animalistic howl, his silver hair whipping around him. His body disappeared in a burst of light, and an old man stood in front of him, pointing a hand accusingly._

 _"YOU! You let the demon escape! You've killed us all boy!"_

 _A sudden sharp gust of wind made him close his eyes, and stagger backwards._

 _A sharp pain stabbed into his leg, and forced his eyes open._

 _Hiei...no a child...Hiei as a child?_

 _This child that was somehow Hiei, was brandishing a knife in his hands. The very tip of the the small blade dripped with red blood. Talismans were stuck to the boy's arms, and body. Smoke was pooling off the parts of Hiei's body covered in the talismans, and his face was scrunched in pain._

 _"Hiei let me-" but he could not speak anymore. His voice died away, and he watched numbly as his body moved on its own accord. His hands reached out and carefully removed the wards from the child's body. The angry child, lashed out and stabbed him again, the blade sinking into his shin. It hurt, but he kept going until he was peeling the last ward from Hiei's cheek._

 _"Run away...run away from this place as fast as you can," He was whispering, in a voice that was his own...but not. It was younger somehow...different in some way that couldn't be explained._

 _"Run away child, and don't come back... They'll kill you."_

 _"They'll kill you," Kurama hissed from behind him._

 _Many hands were now pulling at his clothes, and dragging him in the dark. He was slammed against a wall, the air knocked from his lungs. He closed his eyes as dizziness swallowed him whole. Something wet trickled near his ear, gurgling and hissing with some dark threat._

 _He opened his eyes... he was standing in open air, snow beneath his feet. Youko Kurama was looking at him with a much gentler expression, one that mingled between pity and longing._

 _"You should leave...they'll kill you. They are going to kill you..." His voice had never sounded so desperate._

 _"No," he answered, no longer surprised that he couldn't control what he was going to say._

 _"He's going to...to kill me and my daughter," A woman's voice sobbed from behind him._

 _"Those old men are going to sacrifice you," a youthful Hiei chided, "You humans are as cruel as demons. You just don't like to think so."_

 _"You need to run! If you go-"  
_

 _"Lets play!"_

 _"Duty comes before personal safety. You would do best to remember that."_

 _"Aren't you afraid?"_

 _"What an amusing human you are."_

 _He covered his ears._

 _There were too many words, and it was all too loud._

 _Stained black hands clamped down hard on his shoulders from behind. His head shot up and he tried to turn, but a face was twisting unnaturally to be in his field of vision. He managed to catch a glimpse of a twisted white face lunging towards him from the darkness, before long hair shot out all around him. It was forcing its way down his throat, up his nose, in his ears...in his eyes. He started to choke, hands pressed flat to the floor. The hair melted and turned to ink. He was drowning in ink... it was so hard to breathe. His chest hurt...he was going to die!_

 _"I'm waiting for you Kuwabara," a woman whispered her voice becoming distorted towards the end._

Kazuma Kuwabara shot out of bed, gasping for breath.

It was the middle of summer, and he has slept with only a sheet and his boxers. Despite all these precautions, the nightmare had still managed to leave him dripping with sweat. Stumbling from his room and going to his bathroom, he flicked on the light, and turned on the sink. Even as he splashed water on his face, he continued to be seized by racking coughs. Something welled up in his throat, and with a guttural growl, he coughed up an ounce of black liquid. It tasted like ink.

His legs were about to give out from under him, when a strong cool arm wrapped around his waist, supporting him in a familiar grasp.

"Kazuma! Kazuma! Hey! You alright?" Shizuru's voice came floating to him through the haze.

Kuwabara looked at her, and then back to the sink.

There was nothing there. No ink...just running water.

Shuddering he let out an exhausted and relieved breath. He turned to his sister's face only to scramble backwards as her eyes, and mouth exploded with ink. She tried to say his name around the liquid, choking as she reached out for him. She'd managed to make out the first syllable of his name when she melted into the bathroom floor, her body becoming a mass of black ink. The cold liquid sloshed towards his feet, and went up to his ankles. **A hand lunged at him from the dark depths-**

Kazuma Kuwabara woke up with a scream, his sister holding him painfully hard by the shoulders.

"Kazuma!" She gasped, and embraced him fiercely when his frantic eyes found hers. He struggled in her grasp, afraid that his was somehow still a dream, but Shizuru held on to him. She somehow managed to contain the trembling mass of her little brother in her arms, despite his massive size. Slowly, as the adrenaline died down, and he heard his sister's heartbeat, Kuwabara began to calm.

"Kazuma... I'm here... I'm here!" Shizuru whispered in Kuwabara's hair, pressing her brother firmly to her.

He shuddered, and eventually wrapped his arms around his sister. This had been the second consecutive week of nightmares. Terrible...terrible nightmares. They plagued him any time he slept. Sometimes even when his mind wandered he felt like he was choking on hair with his bare feet stuck in snow. It had become such a problem, Kuwabara had removed himself from school, he was far too rattled to concentrate on his studies.

"You with me little brother?" Shizuru asked softly, coaxing Kuwabara back to the present.

Kuwabara gently pulled himself from his sister and nodded. He swallowed hard, throat dry.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah... 'm here..." Kuwabara managed taking in a shuddering breath.

His sister's hands smoothed over his face. He shuddered, suddenly very cold.

Shizuru snorted, "...You look like hell."

Kuwabara smiled weakly, "I'm okay... it was just a bad dream."

"Bullshit!" Shizuru erupted, eyes narrowed, "You should talk with Genkai about these dreams! Every night...even when you nap! Kazuma...these dreams are dangerous!"

Kuwabara rubbed his eyes, "I don't know what she'll do... she's not the sandman-"

Shizuru flicked her brother on the nose, "Asshole, don't give me that. Sandman or no, she's still a great and powerful psychic... she might be able to get to the source of your dreams. And you no better than to scoff at dreams! How many times have your dreams been something more?"

"It's just stress and overwork... like _you_ said, remember?" Kuwabara snorted looking around his bedroom, refusing to acknowledge the sense in his sister's words. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he wondered if he was really home this time.

Shizuru punched him hard in the ribs, and he bent over with pain.

 _'Ah...nope. This is real,'_ he thought as his eyes watered.

"Quit with the sass," Shizuru growled.

Kuwabara coughed and managed to sit back up. He tried hard not to look like a sulking child, but from the soft expression his sister was giving him, he was sure he'd failed.

Shizuru frowned and placed a cool hand to his face, gently wiping some sweat from his tired mug.

"Kazu... just... talk to Genkai. Talk to her about this. Please. Do it for me?" She implored, her voice filled with sincere worry.

Kuwabara had been avoiding his sister's eyes, but slowly he met her gaze. To his immense relief, her face didn't explode with ink. Holding her eyes and taking in a steadying breath to calm his shaking nerves, Kuwabara mustered up a big smile.

"Yeah...yeah I will. I promise. Tomorrow...okay?"

Shizuru's shoulders sagged with a bit of relief and she leaned up kissing Kuwabara's forehead, "Good. Sit tight. I'll get you some water."

"Two cups, please!" Kuwabara called after her as she left his room.

Kuwabara rubbed his eyes. He was very, very tired. Though he'd been haunted by these dreams for a while, this was the first time he'd ever seen Hiei or Kurama in the dreams. Normally he just saw the little girl, the woman, and an old man. Snow, ink, and long black hair always mingling weaving in his dreams. He had of course kept his dreams a tight secret away from his friends, especially Yusuke Urameshi. He wasn't in the mood to be teased to death... or be constantly worried over.

Kuwabara rubbed his throat, shuddering as he remembered black hair coiling around his throat... how could he even begin to explain these dreams to his friends?

Exhaustion beginning to calm his nerves, he pulled the covers up around his body. He had just gotten settled when Shizuru came back into his room. He smiled as she brought him an arm full of water bottles, a proud grin on her face. As he counted at least six bottles, he laughed and thanked her sleepily, reaching for one.

"Of course...try to get some sleep..." She whispered, setting a single bottle in his hand, while placing the rest of the water down on a desk near his bed. With rare tenderness, Shizuru leaned down to kiss Kuwabara's sweaty forehead. Gently, she squeezed her brother's arms, and brushed some black hair away from his pillow, before quietly bidding him goodnight as he fell into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

 **End of chapter 1**


	2. The Hidden Village in the Snow

As promised, when Kuwabara woke up he began the long trek to Genkai's.

Normally the easiest route to the shrine was to take the bus, or subway, or even call for a car. But after waking again from another nightmare, Kuwabara had decided to walk. It was a little past four in the morning when he started his trek. Everything around him was dark, and the air was crisp and cool as the city around him slept.

Minutes into the walk Kuwabara could feel the night air working its magic on his anxious nerves. The adrenaline from his disturbing dreams were draining away... memories of a woman with long back hair were being pushed aside, and a pleasant calm was settling in his bones. Though most people may not have found wandering a city in the early, early hours of the morning relaxing, there was something about it that Kuwabara enjoyed.

In these early moments caught between night and and day, not even the dead would bother Kuwabara, the whole world was still asleep. At his own pace, Kuwabara could watch his town come alive, and let his mind resonate with the peace around him. It was one of the best ways Kuwabara knew to clear his mind any time he was troubled.

And, as an added bonus, if anyone tried to jump him, he had someone to take his frustrations out on.

By the time he reached Genkai's, Kuwabara had been in three fights, managed to watch the sunrise, and had even pet a family of stray cats. With those small little experiences easing the darkness from his mind, Kuwabara was beginning to feel much more refreshed and energized. Feeling much more at peace, Kuwabara easily jogged up the steps until he reached his destination, and was delighted to see someone he hadn't expected milling around outside of Genkai's home.

"Puu! Hey buddy! What are you doing out?" Kuwabara called out to the blue Phoenix.

Puu, in his full massive glory, was outside Genkai's shrine, shuffling around and watching birds land near him. When a group got close, Puu excitedly charged for, shrieking joyously at the small feathered companions. The birds didn't seem to appreciate Puu's excitement, and would take off in fright, cawing and scattering feathers as they went.

Puu turned at the sound of Kuwabara's voice, and unfolded his large wings raising himself up in an excited greeting. With a happy cry, he sent a gust of wind towards Kuwabara just from one mighty stroke of his large wings, and then giving Kuwabara no time to prepare, charged forward. Kuwabara had managed to withstand the torrent of air, laughing as he was almost thrown off balance from the gusts of wind the excited spirit beast kicked up. Kuwabara opened his arms letting Puu crash into him, and then bury his head against his chest.

The great phoenix nuzzled into Kuwabara, pushing the large man back with his great weight, all the while chirping loudly with clear affection. Kuwabara danced his fingers up the side of Puu's head, and tucked them under his floppy ears, scratching them as he cuddled and praised Puu.

"Yeah...whoza buddy, huh? Who's my buddy!" Kuwabara asked, babying the large spirit beast.

"Puu!" the phoenix chirped happily in response, pressing hard against Kuwabara, clearly forgetting his own height and strength.

"Easy there buddy! You're gonna knock me on my ass!" Kuwabara snickered as he struggled to remained upright.

"I was wondering what was causing all this racket!" an old, and slightly annoyed voice snipped through the air.

Kuwabara turned, craning his neck to peak over Puu, and saw Genaki standing on the shrine steps, her brows raised into her hairline as she overlooked the scene. Though Kuwabara was no longer that fifteen year old punk who had first appeared at her door, the passing of time had not aged Genkai very much. The only major difference that Kuwabara had noticed, was Genkai now used a cane to help her get around, and delighted in cracking it on Yusuke's head, or behind his knees when he was acting up. She had wicked aim as well and would launch it at Yusuke from a great distance if he tried to escape her wrath, which was of course hilarious.

"Hey Master Genkai! Uh...How are you this morning?"

"Well awake for one..." She grumbled, but with an affectionate smile. She approached the man and bird, Puu shuffling to greet her, and lower himself near her feet. She gently pet the top of Puu's head, the beast crooning as she ran her weathered fingers through the black hair on the top of his head.

"Sorry...did I wake you?" Kuwabara asked burying his hands in his front pockets as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

"Yes, yes you did. Or really, Puu woke me when he saw you. He adores you and Yusuke so much that he wakes the dead whenever either of you two are around!" Genkai admonished, as if Kuwabara and Yusuke had any control over Puu's reactions.

"Sorry about that..." Kuwabara said knowing it was better to apologize, than try to point out he had no control over Puu's actions.

Genkai continued to run bony fingers through Puu's feathers, and peered knowingly at Kuwabara with a gleam shining in the depth of her dark eyes, "Alright you stupid boy, what's wrong?"

Kuwabara snorted, laughing uncomfortably before looking down at his feet. Kuwabara opened his mouth, but only a nervous chuckle managed to escape him.

"Oh my...is it that serious?" Genkai sighed before reaching out and tugging at Kuwabara's arm, "Come on...lets go inside and have some damn coffee. Then you can tell me what has you at my doorstep way too fucking early."

"Ha...yeah...okay," Kuwabara relented, allowing Genkai to lead him back to the shrine.

However, as he tried to assist her up the steps, she tugged her arm away and prodded Kuwabara with her cane, "Kuwabara I swear if you help me up these stairs like I'm some old lady, I will beat the ever living shit out of you!"

"Geeze someone's crabby!"

"Yes I am! And It's too Goddamned early to put up with young people coddling me because I'm an old lady! I'm not senile yet!"

"You know Master Genkai, you need to make up your mind, because if you're not complaining that Yusuke doesn't respect you enough, you're complaining I respect you too much!"

Genkai only answered Kuwabara with an affectionate squeeze, and a coy chuckle. 

* * *

After the two had sat down, Kuwabara had finally talked about his constant nightmares.

He talked of the strange things he heard, what he felt, how it had affected his college life, and his overall exhaustion. When he was finally done talking, Kuwabara let out a deep sigh, and let the tension bleed from his shoulders. Genkai said nothing, allowing instead for Kuwabara to relax as she mulled over his story. Long minutes passed by with Genkai not moving, and Kuwabara rolling his empty mug between his hands.

As they reached almost half an hour of silence, Kuwabara began to fidget, anxious for what Genkai would say. He wasn't sure if Genkai now thought he was crazy or not, but could only hope she wouldn't dismiss his concerns. Kuwabara hadn't realized it, but Genkai was the only plan he really had. If she didn't offer some sort of help, Kuwabara wasn't sure what he'd do about these dreams.

"So you're dreaming of a Yūrei... a ghost seeking you out," Genkai finally said, eyes flicking up to Kuwabara's face, "...Not an uncommon problem for psychics. With open minds, and power, spirits will often seek aid from people like you and me. But the fact she knows your name is... worrying. If you are really suffering real physical ailments, and finding traces of this spirit around where you've been, then it sounds like she is an Onryō... a vengeful spirit that can do harm in the living plane. But why you're the target...I can't say."

Kuwabara felt relieved that Genkai seemed to believe what he had said, but her news had been no comfort.

"...In the dreams, even if she doesn't speak, it feels like she's waiting for something. Like she's expecting to reunite with me," Kuwabara admitted dropping his eyes back down to his empty cup, "It was almost friendly at first... and then it got... I dunno. Threatening?"

"Have you disturbed any graves Kuwabara?" Genkai asked, sharp eyes studying Kuwabara's weary and anxious face.

"No..." Kuwabara slowly answered.

Genkai immediately shot out another answer, giving Kuwabara no time to think, just respond, "Go to any historical marker?"

"No-"

"Gone to a forest, a house-anywhere that gave you an odd vibe?"

"No-"

"Have you had problems in your apartment complex before? Any new neighbors?"

"No! Nothing has changed, nothing! Just..." Kuwabara ran a nervous hand over his hair, "One day I'm in class everything is fine. I fell asleep, and woke because I thought a woman had touched me. And then the dreams kept intensifying from there...just getting worse over the past several weeks. It just got...it's just been insane! I've dealt with stuff like this before, but I can't even... I can't even explain this. This feels...like..."

"A memory?" Genkai interrupted.

Kuwabara finally looked her in the eye, and nodded cautiously.

"...What were you talking about in class?" Genkai asked leaning forward with interest.

"Uh...:" Kuwabara let out a puff of breath, "Uhm... about this forbidden village from this old legend. There were people who used to live in the mountains, and had a lot of monks. The monks kind of ran the whole village. They were all really powerful psychics, and would serve lords, or people in need. But they were kind of shady. The elders started to care more about financial gain rather than actually helping people, and supposedly after murdering someone really pure, cursed their village. They all became tainted, and then...just disappeared. Not just the monks, but the all the people-"

"The Hidden Village in the Snow." Genkai interrupted, a curious expression on her face, "It's not an unknown story. You're missing a part of that story. The monks had encouraged the Lord of their village to go to war, and sent many of the village's Samurai to their deaths. It's said that they started to sacrifice people to the spirits of the dead Samurai to try and save their skins. This action caused the underworld to swallow the village whole, landing everyone-innocent of guilty lost in a place between life or death... or so the legend goes. It's an even odder story considering there are actual documents that talk about this village."

"...This place was real?" Kuwabara asked doubtful.

"That's still unknown, but there is evidence to suggest so..." Genkai explained patiently.

"...So... okay sure. This place is real. Fine, I'll buy it. But why does me hearing about this place even matter?" Kuwabara asked brows knitting together as his confusion and impatience grew.

"I'm not sure yet, just a feeling," Genkai answered with a frustrated sigh, tapping her chin with her forefinger, "But you heard this story in class, nodded off, and immediately had a nightmare?"

"No, not really a nightmare," Kuwabara said with a shrug, "I dreamed I was outside in the snow, and there was a woman and a little girl stranding away from me. They were both smiling and happy. I waved at them...and then felt like a woman's hand was on my back. It wasn't..." Kuwabara shifted in his seat, grasping for a way to explain how he felt, "It didn't feel threatening. It felt like...when my sister used to greet me from school. A gentle touch to say she was behind me."

"Would you say the touch felt familiar?" Genkai inquired, sitting up a little straighter, as if she had found and important clue.

"Uh...Yeah. Yeah I would," Kuwabara reasoned, nodding his head.

"...Then perhaps in a past life, you had something to do with that village..." Genkai posed, eye far away as she began to try and piece an idea together, "And if you were hearing a story about it, your powers called out to something... and **something** did answer." Genkai's tone had gone grim, and she rose slowly to her feet looking concerned.

"Why were my powers calling out to ghosts?" Kuwabara sputtered, sitting up straighter, eyes locked on Genkai's back.

"You're a psychic, and a young one, so your power only evolves. You've seen how your power can expand before when it senses trouble-hence your Jigen Tō. You've also had visions in your dreams before Kuwabara, are you really so surprised by what your experiencing now? When your body is in danger, when you sense something coming-your power responds," Genkai was now at the back of the room looking over her book shelves, eyes scanning for something.

Kuwabara rubbed his temples as head ache began to start rearing it's ugly head. He was so tired, and hearing that his own abilities might have caused the trouble he was experiencing, was more than a little frustrating.

Feeling petulant, Kuwabara snapped,"Alright so my own powers are being a fucking pain in the ass and inviting things to mess with me. Cool, yeah that's happened before I guess-but you've been talking about me having a past life. Master Genkai, how do we know if I've even had a past life?"

"You're obviously tired, so I'll ignore your attitude. There is a way to find out if you've had a past life, and to do that we'll need what I'm looking for. Not to mention help from an old friend of mine. Once we know about that, then we can try to find a solution to the Onryō problem-if there is a problem. An Onryō is not a normal ghost to deal with, you can't just get an exorcist. Steps need to be taken especially, given your psychic abilities," Genkai continued, now rummaging through a small book shelf tucked in the corner.

"No offense Master Genkai...but this sounds like a buncha made up mumbo-jumbo..." Kuwabara sighed, waving his hands dismissively through the air.

"Well Kuwabara, there are a few other things that could be going on here. One, you disturbed a resting ground unknowingly and are being haunted. Two, a Yūrei Onryō connected to you through another life, **is** in fact the one haunting you, or three you're having some really fucked up dreams," Genkai selected a book and flipped through it, thumbing through the pages rapidly. She seemed to find what she was looking for, and selected one other object from the book shelf before turning back to Kuwabara, "And there's option four, where you're lying to me-but I'm sure we can rule that one out."

"Why do you make it sound like it can't be option number three?" Kuwabara groaned dragging his hands over his face.

"Because there is a darkness clinging to you aura, and this is more telling to me than anything you've said today. Something is wrong Kuwabara... you are a light in the darkness to others. You have a good heart," Genkai said her tone going soft, "And light will attract the darkness. When I look at you, I sense a shadow hanging on to you, just outside my field of vision, so that I can't fully see what's wrong. But something... is there! This tells me that it is most likely not something harmless, and we need to take caution and action," Genkai returned to her seat, grunting as she sat down with some effort, "Damn this aging body...getting old is a real pain in the ass!"

Genkai removed a page from the book she'd selected from the shelf, and held it out for Kuwabara. The paper was plain, yellowed with age, and a few scribbles of writing that were impossible to read were tucked down at the bottom left corner. With her other hand she held out the second object she'd selected, a small decorative knife. The knife had a four inch handle, intricately carved from bone, and the blade was multicolored. It was crudely sharpened, but was obvious very sharp.

Kuwabara looked at the items in Genkai's hands, and then back at her with a guarded expression.

"As I said, there's a friend of mine who might be able to supply us with more answers than I can give," Genkai stated, eyes watching Kuwabara's face.

"...What do you want me to do with that knife?" Kuwabara asked, cringing as he suspected it was for something he wouldn't like.

"My friend will need a piece of your hair, and some of your blood in order to tell us if you've had a past life-"

"I knew it! Ugh gross! I gotta stab my-"

Genkai placed a hand over Kuwabara's mouth to stop him from interrupting, "It will not be much! Prick your finger, or thumb. I need three drops on this paper. You've shed more blood fighting with Yusuke for goodness sake!"

Kuwabara sighed, and gently removed Genkai's hand, "Fine...fine, I'll do it."

Sighing deeply, Kuwabara accepted the paper, and the knife. He turned the objects over in his hands, shook his head, and then placed the paper on his lap. Pulllin a lock of hair from his Pompadour, Kuwabara took the knife and began to saw the chosen lock off.

When the task was completed Kuwabara muttered grumpily, "I hope this friend of yours doesn't mind the hair gel!"

Genkai shot Kuwabara a look that clearly read: Quit whining!

Unceremoniously, Kuwabara dropped the severed lock of hair onto the paper, and then took the blade in his hand once more. Applying it to his forefinger, Kuwabara made a move to prick his digit, but something stopped him. A feeling took hold, and Kuwabara adjusted the knife in his hand. Directing the dagger over the lifeline running through his palm, Kuwabara suddenly, and without hesitation, dragged it over the thin line. Thick blood dripped down on to the yellowing page, as well as on to his lock of hair severed hair. The moment the blood touched the paper, Kuwabara was sure he saw a spark fly from the page.

Genkai brought Kuwabara's attention away from the page, by suddenly tugging the knife away from Kuwabara, and then taking his injured hand in hers. Her hands glowed softly as she concentrated on healing Kuwabara's self-inflicted wound.

"...I see..." Genkai whispered with a frown.

Kuwabara blinked, seeming to come out of a trance and looked at the Martial artist confused, "W-what? I... I didn't-"

"Hush now...the knife is blessed, and is part of a ceremony to give us more information about your past life. Where you cut yourself with that knife is very important. If you had done your finger tips it would have meant this was your first life. If you direct the blade anywhere else, it's telling us a story. My friend will have to explain it though, as I don't understand it in the way he does," Genkai released Kuwabara's hand, running a finger down Kuwabara's newly healed flesh. She stared hard at the mark, quietly wondering to herself what all this could have meant.

"I thought you said we just needed a drop! I just sliced my hand open!" Kuwabara wailed.

"Well I lied," Genkai admitted with a nonchalant shrug.

Kuwabara sputtered and squawked until Genkai hit his arm lightly, "Relax. Your hand will be good as new soon. You needed to let the knife make the decision for where you cut,"

"And you didn't tell me this because...?" Kuwabara asked trying to sound less whiny.

"Because you would have resisted your instincts, and not allowed for this little trick to work." Genkai answered simply, taking the paper, and folding it up over Kuwabara's blood and hair.

"Why didn't I go to Koenma?!" Kuwabara suddenly admonished, suddenly remembering he could have gone to the prince of the spirit world for help.

Genkai chuckled, tucking the paper away, "Because Koenma wouldn't be able to give you answers fast, and I can get an answer for you by the end of the day. I'll go see my friend now."

Kicking himself for not asking more questions about what the hell he just did, and why, Kuwabara sighed defeated. His energy from before felt drained, and now he just really wanted to go back to sleep. He jumped as a leather string was slipped over his head. An intricately designed little bag now rest at his breastbone, a small carved white stone hanging alongside it. Picking up the pouch Kuwabara looked at the tiny silk bag, and was able to detect a floral scent mingling with something smoky. The pouch was closed with a drawstring, but Kuwabara could feel a few tiny objects were inside of it. Shifting his eyes to the flat stone alongside the bag, Kuwabara could see a crane had been chiseled into the stone. It must have been a painstaking task, as the stone was no bigger than a quarter, but the crane was heavily detailed. It looked like the bird might even fly.

"What...what is this?" Kuwabara asked looking to Genkai.

The old woman held his gaze and cupped his face, "It's a small protective ward that my Master made for me when I was to suffer a great trial. I believe it to be very powerful, and in a pinch can exorcise small spirits. Do not open it or the charm will be broken. Wear this... I think it might actually allow you to get some actual sleep without being disturbed. Wear it until we get more answers to what's going on," Genkai dropped her hand from Kuwabara's chin and looked the tall young man over with a motherly gaze, "Why don't you get some rest... I'm going to pay my friend a visit, and i'll call you when I know more of what's going on."

Genkai began to hobble away, her once graceful stride now a little deteriorated from the onset of arthritis.

"Who is your friend?" Kuwabara asked, suddenly burning with curiosity.

Genkai turned at the doorway, calmly holding Kuwabara's eye, "You've helped him out before Kuwabara, so I suspect he'll really want to help you with this problem. It's Mitamura, the master of En, Ryo, and Kai who you helped save during the dark tournament. He has the ability to not only explain ominous dreams, but see into a person's past self. If there is something from a former life haunting you, he is the best person to seek aid from. ...Go...get some rest Kuwabara. Here or at home, I promise I'll get back to you as soon as I can." 

* * *

Kuwabara had thought about heading home to crawl into his own bed and get some sleep, but the offer of being allowed to rest at the shrine was too tempting. Walking down the familiar halls, he found a guest room, and once inside and in bed, fell into a rather peaceful sleep.

He did not have a single dream.

He awoke just after two in the afternoon, feeling like himself for the first time in weeks. He eased out of his cot, and stretched popping his back as he went, smiling to himself about his accomplishment. As he began to fully become aware of his surroundings, he realized he could hear Puu getting excited over something from outside. Shuffling towards the door, Kuwabara kicked some black string from his feet, and headed for outside.

As he closed the door to his guest room, pounds, and pounds of long black hair fell from the ceiling onto the floor, going completely unnoticed by the room's former occupant.

When Kuwabara made his way outside, he was greeted with the sight of Puu pinning Yusuke down so that he might rub his face and beak all over the former delinquent. Kurama and Hiei stood nearby watching, bemused smiles on both their faces as Yusuke was mauled by his own spirit beast.

"Hey you guys!" Kuwabara greeted with large grin and a wave.

All three turned to look at Kuwabara, surprise clearly evident in their eyes. Puu continued to manhandle and aggressively love on Yusuke, not paying Kuwabara any mind this time.

"Okay Puu! Puu! For Fuck's sake, I missed you too!" Yusuke grumbled managing to make his escape out from under the overly affection phoenix, "Why don't you shrink if you want to be so affectionate!? I know you can!"

Kuwabara joined his friends, Kurama lightly patting Kuwabara on the arm in greeting.

"We were looking for you Kuwabara! Shizuru said you might be here," Kurama explained.

A nervous chill shot down Kuwabara's spine, and he smiled hoping his sister didn't say why he was visiting.

"Oh yeah, I just needed to ask Genkai about something..." Kuwabara explained, trying to sound casual.

Kurama smiled, seeming to accept this answer, and Kuwabara's shoulders sagged with a little relief.

Relaxing more now, Kuwabara shoved his hands in his pockets and asked, "So what did you guys want?"

"Can't we just miss your lovable face?" Yusuke asked, now on his feet and straightening out his ruffled outfit.

"No," Both Kuwabara and Hiei answered.

Kuwabara turned to give Hiei a glare, the shorter demon smirking slightly before turning his face away.

"Koenma asked us a favor," Kurama began to explain, "There are three masks he's asked us to retrieve from a shrine located on the coast, just west of here."

"Yeah, and apparently they are haunted or something like that, and people are getting lured to the masks and getting killed!" Yusuke interjected, sounding a little too eager considering the circumstances of the masks.

"Wait, the masks are killing people?" Kuwabara asked, cocking his head uncertainly.

"That's the part Koenma is unsure of," Kurama admitted, crossing his arms over his wait, "Bodies from the surrounding town are turning up near the shrine, and Koenma can detect some sort of a negative spirit there. It's been narrowed down to three masks within the shrine."

"Yeah and he wants us to go because he thinks we have nothing better to do!" Yusuke snorted, now tossing Puu in the air. The phoenix had shrunk down to his much smaller, much cuter size, and Yusuke seemed to now be taking out a little revenge on the poor guy. Puu endured it, just happy to be with his owner.

"We could have said no, but you said yes," Hiei interjected, snorting with annoyance.

Kuwabara rubbed the back of his neck, excited at the thought of going on a mission, but also a little troubled... On the one hand, since Yusuke was technically no longer a spirit detective, they didn't all always have a chance to be together. It was harder now for all four of them to get together, and a mission offered an excuse for all of them to hang out. But then on the other hand, Kuwabara wondered if he should even go on some mission if Genkai was supposed to be helping him with his... nightmare problem.

Nervously Kuwabara pat his chest, touching the small protective pouch that was now tucked under his shirt. Maybe now that he had this he didn't need to worry as much?

"You think it's going to be a tough job?"

"Not with you there," Yusuke said grinning from ear to ear. Tossing Puu at Kuwabara like a football, Yusuke draped an arm over Kuwabara's neck, dragging his much taller friend down, "You'll be able to sense any trouble and let us know what to do! And the place isn't even far. Maybe an hour away by car."

Kuwabara held Puu to him and gently thrummed his fingers over the top of the little guy's head, "Well when do we go? Do we need like... I dunno a battle strategy?"

"I'm impressed you had the forethought to think we might need a strategy," Hiei clipped out, ignoring Kuwabara's murderous glare.

"Being as there's not too much information I have taken some precautions and picked up a few supplies that will help us with this mission," Kurama said, green eyes gleaming, "Something I used to use back when I was a thief. It's a plant that can swallow the items we wish to take, and suppress anything powerful emitting off them. It's perfect for cursed artifacts and the like."

"It should be a quick in and out Kuwabara," Yusuke said, scrubbing his knuckles over Kuwabara's hair, "Why so worried about how long it'll take? You become a nerdy school boy now? Don't like to stay out after dark?"

Kuwabara tried not to think about how he hadn't been to school in a while now. He tried not to think about the nagging thoughts in the back of his head, that urged him to tell his friends about his dreams. He tried not to feel the uncomfortable knot in his stomach, that screamed this was a bad idea.

Instead of thinking, Kuwabara growled and pushed Yusuke off, before grabbing the shorter man from behind, and twisting his arm, "I ain't some nerd! No offense Kurama-"

Kurama raised a red brow, but smiled with clear amusement.

"I'll come!" Kuwabara blurted, before Yusuke managed to flip him, and was rubbing the red head's face in the dirt.

Kuwabara had no time to consider what he'd just agreed to, he was more focused on trying to punch his best friend in the face. 

**End of Chapter 2**


	3. The Three Masks

I can not stress how excited I am for this chapter. Chapter three is where I feel the story reallllly starts going, so thanks for bearing with the two set up chapters! Now it's time to really start getting into it! I meant to mention this earlier, but this story was inspired by Kuwabara's music video Dachi. The song itself didn't inspire the story, but the video got me thinking.

Thanks for the comments i've gotten so far! It feels like lately its hard to get reviews or critiques, so everything is really appreciated. I hope you can continue to encourage me and enjoy the story!

* * *

By evening, Genkai had made it to Mitamura's shrine, home for several young teens, whom he trained in martial arts and honing their psychic abilities. Mitamura was known for taking in several young men and woman, and turning them from wise-cracking smart asses, to respectable young adults. All well trained in martial arts and psychic gifts, all capable of becoming their own master of their own shrines. Genkai admired Mitamura's patience and fortitude. Genkai could only handle Yusuke. She couldn't imagine having a whole shrine full of teenagers… in a way Mitamura reminded her of Toguro.

"Genkai! My dear lady!" An enthusiastic older voice greeted Genkai as she reached the last step that led to her friend's shrine.

Mitamura was waiting for her, back stooped, and hair more gray than brown than it ever used to be. He looked far healthier than those days under the hands of Dr. Ichigaki, but his age was showing just as much as hers.

"My you look terribly old," Genkai said in greeting, as she stopped before him.

"I'm eleven years younger," Mitamura pointed out coyly, batting his eyes impishly.

"And I can still kick your ass! I didn't call ahead…how did you know to expect me?" Genkai asked stepping forward and taking Mitamura's arm in greeting, and encouragement to keep moving.

Mitamura gently clasped a hand over Genkai's hand, and began to lead her towards his shrine, "Well I'd mouth off and point out the fact that I'm a psychic, but I'll save it. I can tell you're troubled by something. My student Kentaro had a vision. Vague…but ominous. They described you expertly, despite having never met you, and recalled they saw us having tea in my sitting room. Kentaro remembered clearly the date on the calendar in my room. He said he also saw a young man choking on black hair... a man that fits the description of that taller boy from the dark tournament."

Genkai shuddered involuntarily as a vision of Kuwabara surrounded by black hair swept vividly over her mind, "Your student's visions are accurate... gravely accurate i'm afraid."

"Yes, indeed. Before Kentaro came here, he hardly slept, fearing what calamity he'd dream next," Mitamura looked grim, disturbed that one of the boy's responsible for saving himself, as well as his beloved students, En, Ryo, and Kai, might be in terrible danger. "With more training, Kentaro will be an incredible asset to the psychic community-"

"Well that is lovely, and why I'd love to sit here and listen you titter on and on about your newest adoptee, I have something here I need you to do for me," Genkai interrupted curtly holding up an envelope.

"Ah, so here is the meat of the matter," Mitamura said eyeing the envelope cautiously, already suspecting that he knew the contents, "What's in there?"

"Everything you need to answer a question."

* * *

By evening, Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara had arrived at the beach, where supposedly all the mysterious happenings were taking place. The beach was surrounded by a forest made up of large trees, and only a solitary road cut through the greenery. As the four stood by their rented car, overlooking the beach a heavy fog began to creep up from the ocean, and settle around the sand. The fog grew so thick near the water, that the ocean could not be seen, and for miles and miles it looked like a sea of endless gray mists. Raised on stilts and jutting out of the thick smog, was a small shack of a shrine with a singular entryway. The shrine's doorway had no door, and no windows, no light to cut into the darkness the little shrine was made up of. It's roof rose in a high pointed pillar, loose clay tiles on the edge of teetering off the rickety building. As darkness approached the small hut, the shrine couldn't look any lonelier… or more daunting.

"Well you don't need to be psychic to figure out this place is creepy as shit!" Yusuke declared, finishing his sentence with a high pitch whistle. The tiny shrill sound rang out over the beach echoing back at the boys, until it was soft ghostly whine buzzing around the area.

"…Nothing…" Kurama observed quietly as he looked behind him. The forest that surrounded the beach should have had some birds, or other creature that would have responded from Yusuke's sudden shout or whistle, but nothing. Everything was still, and unnaturally calm.

"This place is creepy!" Kuwabara concurred, folding his arms across his chest. He squinted around surprised by how very little he was feeling. A place as sinister looking as this place should have been crawling with ghosts, or some sort of negative energy, or even demons of some sort, but Kuwabara could feel nothing. He felt as empty as he had when his powers had disappeared in the wake of Sensui. But no matter how much he willed for his abilities to pick up on something, only the cold chill in the air perturbed him.

"I don't know how much help I'm gonna be here guys. I'm not sensing anything…" Kuwabara admitted glancing all around, "Where are the people even coming from? Is there a town nearby? You said bodies showed up on the beach?"

"There is a town about ten miles away, and it's people from there that are showing up on the beach dead," Kurama answered, taking the first steps on the beach, "Strange thing is, no cars or bikes are ever left behind. The bodies are just found here, lying here with no trace of footsteps."

"And the humans know to look at this beach for their missing family members?" Hiei queried following after Kurama.

"Apparently this beach is considered off limits… cursed as the locals say," Kurama said as he adjusted a small backpack on his shoulder. Inside the bag were the many supplies he had gathered for this mission, oddities and useful tools Kurama thought might come in handy when facing the unknown. Koenma had not offered much assistance, not knowing what to do about this case. The spirit world leader even seemed reluctant to let the former spirit detectives help on this matter, as this dubious mission seemed to bring up more questions than answers.

But as Yusuke had put it: What would be so hard about retrieving some, supposedly, haunted masks?

"After the first few victims went missing, and a long period of searching, the local police came here, and found the bodies of the missing persons on the beach."

"Was there any sign of a struggle… or I dunno… any sign of what happened?" Yusuke asked slapping Kuwabara on the back, before jogging to catch up with Kurama and Hiei.

"No. In fact the bodies were laying in a line, with their hands folded on there chests. As if somebody had put them to rest, " Kurama droned on, slowing as the fog over the beach seemed to get thicker and obscure more and more of the landscape, "No marks on the bodies to indicate a struggle were found, no clues... After the bodies were examined, it was determined death for the first few bodies were heart attacks. But at least one or two of the victims seemed to have been strangled."

"How many people went missing at first?" Yusuke asked, squinting ahead of him as it became harder to see.

"Three at first, and then after their bodies were recovered four more went missing. Eleven people so far have shown up on this beach dead," Kurama recited from memory the details of the mission.

"So why does Koenma think its the masks that are the cause?" Hiei asked, glancing behind him to raise a brow at Kuwabara, who was still hanging back.

"He didn't say..." Kurma answered eventually, tone thoughtful and unsure.

Kuwabara had been hanging back as his friends wandered further out on the beach, his dull senses making him feel uncharacteristically hollow. Kuwabara could no longer remember a time where he hadn't been able to sense something from an area he stood in. Whether it was the whisper of a spirit, or the energy of something yet to happen, or even just the resonating flicker of another person's life, there was always a feeling hanging in the air. And now, as he stood in a wide open space, sensing nothing, Kuwabara never felt more…aware. Aware that he shouldn't be here.

But his friends were walking ahead, and Kuwabara couldn't let them keep walking on without him.

Taking a nervous breath, Kuwabara took a step onto the beach.

The fog began to clear.

"Oh it's getting better!" Kurama said a smile spreading on his face as the fog began to recede and clear.

Quietly Kuwabara stood behind his friends, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The pouch on his neck felt like a heavy burden, a reminder of the danger he's been facing in his sleep. A reminder that he had not told his friends what had been going on in his life... and fear that this somehow could be connected. Kuwabara pressed a hand over his shirt, pressing the pouch beneath his shirt as he tried to will his fears up. Kuwabara looked up at the tiny shrine balanced precariously on stilts, felt her perhaps has seen a shrine like this before-like in a nightmare. A worn staircase led to a small porch that encircled the shrine, which eventually lead to the dark doorway, beckoning to Kuwabara dangerously. This was a building that warned you to stay away at a glance.

"We shouldn't go in there," Kuwabara suddenly blurted before his friends could make their way any closer to the shrine.

"Getting a bad feeling?" Kurama asked, ever alert to what his friend might be sensing.

"Ah don't be a chicken!" Yusuke goaded with a smirk, far less helpful than Kurama.

"We shouldn't go in. Yes. It's a bad feeling," Kuwabara insisted, not taking Yusuke's bait.

His immediate dismissal of Yusuke's teasing, seemed to resonate with his friends, and the three turned to give Kuwabara their full attention.

"What do you sense?"

"Nothing," Kuwabara answered honestly, perhaps not his wisest decision.

"You don't feel any threat, yet you're telling us to stay away from this place?" Hiei rasped, disbelieving. He gestured angrily towards the shrine, "It's just a building. The real danger-if any-are the masks sitting inside. Masks that should be far away from human presence. Save your fears for when we're in actual danger!"

"Look I may not sense anything, but we shouldn't go in there!" Kuwabara insisted, not sure how to make his friends understand his gut feeling.

"We already agreed to come out here! Are you saying we should just back out?" Yusuke asked incredulous over Kuwabara's sudden change in behavior.

"I don't think we should just barge in. I don't…I don't know if anyone should just go in there. Maybe this is one of those times, where we just need to set fire to the place and call it a day!" Kuwabara explained, waving his hands as he spoke. Kurama and Yusuke exchanged weary looks at Kuwabara's drastic plan, and Kuwabara dropped his gaze suddenly ashamed to look his friends in the eyes. Even when he was afraid he could normally press on, but this… this was different. He felt irrational...

He should never have come here from the start.

"As Koenma said, there a three masks sitting in the center of the room," Hiei's voice cut through the air.

All heads snapped to the top o shrine, where Hiei now stood. He had climbed the short stair way, and was looking inside the opening, just hovering outside the entrance, the darkness from inside trying to swallow Hiei's own dark silhouette.

"See anything weird?" Yusuke called up to Hiei.

"Maybe we should listen to Kuwabara on this Hiei! Don't go in there!" Kurama added, his tone anxious.

Hiei didn't say anything, but continued to peer inside. He leaned forward sniffing the air around the shrine before drawing himself back, "If this place is really cursed, then it is already too late." Hiei turned, leveling his gaze with Kuwabara's, "It's too late now to turn back. If there really is something wrong with this place, the moment we stepped foot on the beach, we sealed our fates. It is better now to confront it, then to go back now and regroup. Turning back now, will accomplish nothing, and perhaps instead lead something wicked back home."

Kuwabara could feel Kurama and Yusuke look to him, waiting for Kuwabara to make a decision. What Hiei said... made a lot of sense. If there was a time to turn back, it was ages ago before they ever even got in the car. If living miles away from the masks couldn't protect the villagers who never even visited this shrine, turning tail now would do nothing for them.

Kuwabara sighed, and slowly ascended the stairs, his hands gripped into tight fists. He reached the shrine, and stood with Hiei, facing the shrine alongside the demon, he was measuring him with steely glance.

"I don't like it…but I guess you're right. If we're screwed already, there's no point in turning back…" Kuwabara relented.

"Well now that you've finally come to that decision, we could skip the rest of these dramatics, and go inside," Hiei snorted, taking the first step within the shrine. The darkness inside the small shrine, swallowed Hiei's dark figure easily, and in a moment, Hiei could no longer be distinguished from the room. Kuwabara set his jaw, and turned his face away from the shrine. This was a bad decision...

Kuwabara could not bring himself to immediately follow after Hiei . Kurama and Yusuke eventually joined him, and after a gentle pat, Kurama entered the shrine. He too disappeared within the darkness of the room, swallowed whole as if he would never return. Yusuke remained standing outside the shrine with his best friend, unsure of how to motivate Kuwabara to continue forward.

"Spooky place!" Yusuke admitted, standing side by side with his best friend.

"Mmm…"

Yusuke glanced at Kuwabara's face, and then to the shrine. He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot before sighing, "Look… we always go into these things half assed anyway… and we do fine. Bad feeling or not Kuwabara…things will work out. When things get tough, we'll just punch or way out! Just like usual!" Yusuke lightly clipped Kuwabara on the chin with his fist, and offered the biggest grin he had in his arsenal. Yusuke was rewarded for his efforts with Kuwabara finally holding Yusuke's gaze, and smiling.

Kuwabara couldn't help but smile really, Yusuke had that affect on him. Yusuke could always give him comfort to press on, especially when things seemed their darkest. Letting out a tense breath, Kuwabara reached out taking Yusuke's shoulder, giving it a squeeze of gratitude. Kuwabara still felt tense, and wound up, but Yusuke was here… and that brought Kuwabara comfort. When Yusuke was around, things got done. As long as Yusuke was here, things would be alright.

"You're right… you're right. We'll be fine. We'll be fine," Kuwabara forced the words out enthusiastically. He pressed all his hope into the words, willing the words to be true.

Yusuke pat Kuwabara on the arm and Kuwabara watched as his best friend brushed past him, and stepped into the shrine. Yusuke too was swallowed by the darkness, leaving Kuwabara straining to hear his friend's footsteps from within the shrine. Kuwabara took a deep breath, and for better or worse, followed his friends into the darkness.

* * *

Genkai sat watching Mitamura as he worked on putting the contents of the envelope, Kuwabara's hair, the sheet of paper, and blood, in to a small metal bowl.

Soon he would begin a technique that had almost taken him two decades to master. Mitamura would first channel his energy into his fingertips, until every digit glowed with a white hot light. Then, the man would chant, sending himself into a deep trance. He would eventually draw signs in the air, and signs on himself to clear his mind, and open up the inner eye in his mind. Once all this was done, and his energy was at it's pique, Mitamura would light the contents in the bowl and be able to see glimpse of the future, the past, and the present, through help of a small black flame.

The flame was dangerous, and if touched would be more painful than any physical wound. Healing from the burn would be long and arduous, with very little relief from the pain even when the injury was healed. From Genkai's understanding, the black flames were a manipulation of time, and Mitamura's own spiritual energy clashing and twisting together. This technique was his only skill he refused to pass on. He had deemed it too dangerous, and had told very few of this power. And it was only Genkai whom he'd entrusted with book made from his spiritual energy, that had directions for how to ignite this ceremony. If he was to be asked to use the technique, one would have to know to go to Genkai first.

The fact that Genkai came here today, was proof enough how serious Kuwabara's situations must be.

Mitamura was still working on building his power when he asked, "Where did you say Kuwabara cut himself again?"

"Across his lifeline," Genkai answered gesturing on her palm how Kuwabara cut himself.

"I see... that's a very dire warning! As you know, I created that knife, and it's purpose is to direct the users own spiritual energy to give us a warning of the danger that surrounds them. To cut their own lifeline... Kuwabara is in the highest of dangers. His life is at stake," Mitamura shook his head, closing his eyes.

Genkai made a guttural sound of disdain, "Can you hurry up then? Charge faster? If you can spare the idle chit-chat please do!"

"Yes, Yes... time is of the essence," Mitamura muttered, concentrating harder. Nine of his fingers were glowing now, and his mind was almost cleared.

Genaki bit the inside of her cheek, and squeezed her aching knees. A deep unsettling feeling was stirring around her... something vile was closing in on all sides, looming hidden in the unknown. Whatever danger Kuwabara was about to face, was waiting to strike, and ever second counted.

Mitamura opened his eyes, the color of his eyes gone, and his whites glowing a pale silver. Genkai sat up straighter-he was ready at last.

Mitamura reached out, and using just the tips of his glowing fingers lit the edges of paper inside the ceramic bowl. The paper slowly burned, a dull glow of flame travelling towards the center. Finally, the center began to ignore, Kuwabara's blood and hair catching slowly. A thin trail of smoke began to wind into the air, and Mitamura curled his index finger through the smoke, coaxing the twirl of smoke to travel towards himself. Mitamura made one last gesture with his hand, his glowing eyes fixating on the burning center in the middle of the paper.

Gently Mitamura lowered his fingers into the middle of the bowl, not shying away from the small flame seemingly unfeeling the burn lick at his fingertips, and he whispered, "Reveal."

The whole room bust into black flames.

* * *

It didn't take long for Kuwabara's eyes to adjust in the darkness of the shrine. Kuwabara's head swiveled around as he tried to find any extra details within the dark shrine, but really it was just an empty shack. An empty shack with a small pedestal, that held three masks, and nothing else. No adornments, no other relics, a room with no windows, and hardly any light.

"Seems more like an abandoned tool shed than a shrine," Yusuke muttered from his place in the farthermost corner. He was currently touching the wall, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits. His eyes never did well in the dark.

Kurama unzipped his bag, and scattered a few seeds on the ground. Soon the room was lit up with glowing light from the lamp weed, a technique Kuwabara had heard about, but not seen.

"Oh good! These again!" Yusuke said relieved as he blinked rapidly, adjusting to the new light, "I couldn't see shit in here! You think they'd throw in a window, or a lamp!"

"There's nothing to see anyway," Hiei sighed looking up in the rafters. His eyes scanned over the high beams as he tried to see if there was anything hidden in the room. Hiei frowned at the sight of long black strands of what must have been cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Oddly enough Hiei saw no completed spider webs, just the long remnants of thin strings.

"Just the masks..." Kurama whispered, hand to his chin in thought.

All eyes eventually came to rest on three masks sitting in the middle of the room.

The mask on the left was of a woman. White porcelain made up the face, with painted black hair on the brow. The eyebrows too were two simple black strokes, that thinned out in an elegant arch. The holes of the mask made up the exaggerated eyes, arched as if the woman was laughing, and two tiny nose holes carefully detailed in the small button of a nose in the center of the mask. The mouth was small, painted red, and heart shaped, somehow managing to resemble a smile and a grimace at the same time. There was a stain below the left eye as if the mask had been shedding a tear.

The middle mask was odd. It was a little large than the left mask, and was far less detailed. For the most part it was a plain white porcelain mask, with a few odd details. First, there was no eye holes on the mask, merely a thin line towards the bottom of the mask, making up a crude mouth. Detailed eyebrows had been relieved into the mask, and then brushed with some sort of brownish paint that was wearing off. Around where there should have been eyes were thick black ink strains that continued to drag down the cheeks over the mask, and all the way over the edge. The same running paint marks were around the mouth of the mask, dropping all the way to the edge as well. The stains were so crude, and yet so aesthetically placed, that it was hard to distinguish whether the off markings were supposed to be there or not.

The last mask, was something all of them had seen rather commonly at festivals. It was a red mask representing the red ogre from an old story most people would hear at least once in their lives.

"Is this some sort of poor demon representation?" Hiei asked, his tone sounding insulted as he peered at the red mask.

"Not really...though I mean... I guess you could see it that way. It's just a character from a story," Kuwabara said glancing at Hiei. After a moment Kuwabara cleared his throat and began to stumble through the old story the mask represented, "The story goes kind of like this: Long ago there were two ogres. A red ogre, and a blue ogre. The red ogre longed to become friends with the human villagers, and would invite them to his home. But the red ogre was ugly, big, and scary, so no one would come. He told his friend the blue ogre this, and the blue ogre moved by his friend's plight, came up with a plan. The blue ogre pretended to terrorize the villagers, and the red ogre would come to the rescue. Before the red ogre knew it, all the villagers loved him. But later, the red ogre found his friend, the blue ogre was gone. The blue ogre could not stay, because if anyone found out that he and the red ogre were friends, the red ogre would lose all his new friends. In the end the red ogre is left weeping because he lost a true friend."

"A story showing you can't have both...you either pick the false friends or choose the real one..." Kurama sighed a little sadly.

"Sounds to me that the humans were just being judgmental-as usual! They judged the ogre before they ever understood what he was like, and then the stupid red ogre sacrificed his friendship with the blue ogre!" Hiei spat, his voice surprisingly venomously.

"I don't think it was fully meant that way," Kuwabara interrupted, a hand coming to Hiei's shoulder, "The red ogre made a mistake, and the humans were wrong, but I don't think the red ogre was trying to intentionally sacrifice his friendship with the blue ogre. Besides, the story is just there to teach a lesson. This didn't really happen."

"Most stories happen," Hiei disagreed, "The lessons learned bitterly in life, are what create the lessons people pass down in stories."

Kuwabara kept his hand on Hiei's shoulder not sure what to say. Hiei had this intense look on his face, an intense look of someone who had always been judged unfairly. Not used to seeing Hiei like this, Kuwabara found himself at a loss for what to say.

"...Are the flowers going out?" Yusuke asked suddenly.

With a start, it began to slowly dawn on the group that the room was getting dark. Their eyes first went to Kurama's lamp weeds, but they were still lit and glowing.

Hair prickling on the back of his neck, Kuwabara spun around, his friend following his lead. There was a shadow in the doorway, blocking out the light from outside.

"Kuwabara? Do you sense anything?" Kurama asked sharply, eyes fixed on the shadow who had the four cut off from the outside world.

"No...no..." Kuwabara whispered, hair on end, as a cold panic crawled up his spine. Nothing. Kuwabara could still feel nothing-

"Me neither. I can't smell anything either," Kurama whispered, his voice cutting into Kuwabara's panicked thoughts.

Yusuke didn't seem up for waiting to discuss why the four of them had been unable to sense anything from the new arrival. Instead he charged ahead, right forefinger glowing as he headed straight for the possible threat.

"Yusuke!"

The others followed, but just before they all reached the doorway the shadow disappeared, the sudden bright light of the outside world shocking the four young men. The sound of breaking glass turned their attentions back to the podium in the center of the room. The red mask lay shattered in pieces on the floor, while the other two masks were gone, disappeared into thin air. The lamp weed flowers had all gone out.

Kuwabara felt a cold chill wash over him, and lift the veil that had been clouding his senses. He dropped to his knees suddenly unable to stand over the wave of unease that flooded through his veins.

"Kuwabara! Kuwabara, what's wrong?" Yusuke's hand was on his back, while Kurama's hand was tucked under Kuwabara's forearm and trying to lift him up.

Kuwabara's head ached, and his heart raced as his senses were overwhelmed. He sunk further into the ground, pressing his palms face down into the floor. He was dizzy as his mind was assaulted with the warnings that Kuwabara had not been able to sense until now.

"Kuwabara!?"

Trembling, Kuwabara tried to being himself back under control, but fear was coursing through his veins, and his senses howled with warnings. Kuwabara managed to bring a hand to his face, finding that his hair was damp in a cold sweat, and his skin had goose-bumped. Eyes wild and confused Kuwabara looked across the room to the empty podium. He couldn't bring himself to look in the direction he knew they all needed to be looking, and instead only managed to croak out a singular warning, "Up!"

Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke snapped their heads up, looking into the high ceiling of the shrine, and balked at what they saw. Creeping slowly from the ceiling was not broken strands of cob web, but yards and yards of thick black hair. Slowly, a white face attached to a distended neck, was descending down along with the hair. As the face made its slow descent towards the group, a body began to reveal itself, twisting in an unnatural manner, and shaking violently as it revealed itself. The neck made a snapping sound, and the face angled towards them, revealing what looked like a woman's face. There was something elongated about the woman's face, and her mouth was open and rasping, as dead dark eyes slowly rolled over each of them.

"Kuwabara. Kuwabara, get up. Get up! We need to go," Yusuke managed, fear quickening his words as he kept his eyes locked onto the ghost's face.

Hiei turned to look behind him, and his hand found his sword. Their exit had been sealed with hair.

Kuwabara had managed to make it to his feet, one hand on Hiei's shoulder, and one on Kurama's when he spotted one of the missing masks from the podium. It was the odd mask with the dragging ink stains, floating above the podium, an ominous dark energy pouring from it.

Kuwabara's hands tightened on his friends shoulders, "Oh fuck-"

The mask shot out and flipped around speeding towards Kuwabara's face. Kuwabara was sent stumbling back as the mask slammed on to his face, the cold feel of porcelain pressing hard into his skin. Through his panic he could hear his name being screamed, and then everything began to be drowned out as the small space within his mask began to fill with ink. Horrified, Kuwabara tried to pry the mask from his face, but found he could not distinguish where his skin stopped and the mask started. Desperately, Kuwabara choked trying to find air, only successful when he spit small mouthfuls of ink through the tiny slit of the masks' mouth.

He was drowning.

* * *

Genkai sat stark still as Mitamura's front room burst into black flames. These flames were not fire that could cause a physical burn, no, it was something much worse. The black flames was a burst of violent spiritual energy seeking to burn memories into anyone who touched them. These flames were the result of Mitamura's technique, a consequence of intentionally trying to see into the future. There were people who were plagued with visions, but to actively try and look into the future was taboo. And Mitamura's mastery did just that- the twisted fires a consequence of those actions.

Genkai had been witness to this technique before, but had never seen it fill and surround an entire room. The best thing for her to do now, was remain still and not touch the flames.

Mitamura sat with his palms raised, a white lite encasing the outline of his body as black flames hovered dangerously close to him.

"You were right in your suspicions. Kuwabara is indeed being haunted by a Yurei Onryo... and she has plagued him in every life."

Genkai cocked an eyebrow, "Every life? Mitamura, explain further!"

"Kazuma Kuwabara first encountered the Yurei in his first life. It is in his first life that he became cursed. Since his first life, he has always been Kazuma Kuwabara, and he has always been haunted," Mitamura's hand hovered dangerously close to the black flames. He hovered over the flames, reading the burning memories from afar, not daring to plunge his hand into the flames. If he engulfed his hand he would know more of the dangers that haunted Kuwabara, but memories were far more damaging than any physical attack.

He knew if he was to touch the black flames, he would be left with painful scars that would never go away, for the rest of his life.

Memories had a way of haunting you far more than any physical ailment.

"What do you mean he has always been Kazuma Kuwabara?" Genkai asked, leaning away from a black flame that danced across the floor. They were going to have to end the ritual sooner than expected. Mitamura couldn't let this power get out of control, or they both would be consumed with the pains of past, present, and future.

"Kazuma Kuwabara's first life was cursed. Some point at his death, a Yurei laid a curse on him. She will pursue him in every lifetime for wrong she feels he has committed against her. She has interrupted the natural flow of life! Kazuma Kuwabara has never had a chance at true reincarnation, never had the chance to die, be remade, and born anew. He has always died as Kazuma Kuwabara, and always been reborn the same. And he is always killed the same... this is Kuwabara's fourth life. And if things continue as they are, he will die before a week goes by, and be reborn again for the same fate." Mitamura's voice was grim, and distant. He too must have realized they needed to end the ceremony soon.

"Please! Quick! What can we do to help Kuwabara?" Genkai implored, having to rise from her seat and retreat away from a flame that overtook the cushion she'd been sitting on.

"I do not know...yet," Mitamura's voice grew strong, and his eyes flashed brightly, "It is thanks to you and Kuwabara that I am here today and my students are free from the clutches of Dr. Ichigaki. I owe you both a great debt-"

Genkai's stomach churned uncomfortably, "Wait! Mitamura-"

"It will be repaid-listen well to what I say next!" Mitamura snapped and with a roar to rid himself of his own fears, dove both his hands into the depths of the flames.

"MITAMURA!"

For several minutes the room seemed to roar with thunderous cracking as the fire raged, only to be snuffed out without a trace moments later. A mere seven minutes had gone by, just enough time for Mitamura to relay a message to Genkai. He hit the floor, and Genkai rushed to him screaming for one of his students to come help.

In his half unconscious state Mitamura held out his blackened hands before him, his skin seemed to shudder as painful memories crawled upon his skin. Genkai tucked a hand under Mitamura's head, and gently lifted him.

"You fool, you fool-what have you done?!" Genkai whispered, still reeling over the information he had managed to tell her.

"Hurry... You have a choice to make. A grave one. Kuwabara doesn't have much time..." Mitamura whispered, his voice almost lost as the sound of his students flooding the room echoed around them.

"Hurry. He'll die Genkai... he will die."

* * *

In horror, the three demons watched as Kuwabara clawed at the mask that had slammed on to his face. In a few seconds, from the small slit in the mask, black ink began spilling out, and Kuwabara made alarmed gurgling sounds. Waving his arms frantically, Kuwabara stumbled and flailed until he was on all fours, allowing the ink to drain from his mask so that he might catch a few breaths.

"He's going to drown!" Kurama shrieked.

"It's that bitch!" Yusuke snarled, ripping his eyes away from Kuwabara and turning to the strange creature making her slow descent from the ceiling.

"Kill her," Hiei hissed, withdrawing his sword and leaping at the woman with his sword brandished. He brought his blade down towards the woman, only to be parried by her hair which had twisted itself into a thick blade. Her whole being shuttered, and creaked, snapping as the rest of her body materialized. She was an all white woman, in slightly dirty kimono, tiny flecks of ink staining the hem of her sleeves, and darkening the bottom of her kimono.

"Hiei get back!" Yusuke snarled balancing his hand in its brother, "Spirit gun!"

Hiei rolled away from the woman as Yusuke fired off a blast of spiritual energy. The woman's face snapped towards the light, the spirit reaching out to meet the blast. It cracked into her face, as if her face was a glass mask. As the blast settled into her face, the sound of shattering glass echoed loudly around the room, and her whole body shuddered violently as the blast seemed to be drawn within her and absorbed. She jerked harshly, her bones making snapping sounds like brittle wood as slowly the blast fully disappeared, immersed in her black hair. Her face, now looking like a shattered mirror, tilted down towards Yusuke, many splintered eyes gazing at him in malicious superiority.

"...It didn't work..." Yusuke breathed at a loss.

"She's a ghost-not a demon! We need an exorcism!" Kurama's panicked voice bubbled over the chaos.

Kurama's hands were currently stained with ink, as was most of his body. He was struggling to try and pry the mask from Kuwabara's face. Kuwabara had initially fought him in fright, but when Kurama's hands fell on him, Kuwabara had done his best to relax, and let the fox try and free him. Now Kuwabara didn't seem able to sit up on his own, and was teetering on sinking into the floor, no longer willing to fight for his life.

"Get that fucking thing off him!"

"I'm trying!"

The voices outside the mask sounded so far away, as if he was underwater, and they were talking directly over him. Kuwabara had finally stopped thrashing violently and had to slide down on the ground, ink still spurting out from underneath his mask in a steady stream. Every now and then Kuwabara would managed to spit enough of the ink from from his face, and catch a small wisp of air from the small reprieve in the mask. But the weak gasps of air he managed to catch, were never enough, and Kuwabara's limbs were growing cold, and painfully numb.

Kuwabara was drowning, and going tired in fighting the fact that he was drowning...exhaustion would soon beat him.

Weakly, he lifted his hands to his face to give the mask one last feeble tug, but they dropped like heavy stones. His fingers were nerveless and he couldn't get them to slip around the edge of this mask. His head slid to the slide, ink lazily rushing from his mask, as Kuwabara's chest began to dip in and out shallowly.

Kurama placed a hand under Kuwabara, and hoisted him up, trying to bolster Kuwabara into reacting. But Kuwabara merely sagged limply in Kurama's arms, to tired now to sit on his own.

"He's gonna die! We need Genkai!" Yusuke cried panicked taking his eyes from his opponent.

"Kuwabara has psychic abilities, can't he do anything?!" Hiei's sharp demand ended in a nervous question. He too, was making the same mistake as Yusuke, and turned his eyes from the ghastly woman. He could sense Kuwabara's flickering life energy dwindling steadily away. Never had Hiei felt someone's life energy rapidly slip away.

"He can't breathe he can't do anything!" Kurama snapped, one hand on Kuwabara's chest, while his other hand was dug under the edge of the mask. Kurama was tugging with all his strength, his thoughts only on Kuwabara's stilling chest. Buy the mask was not budging, no matter how hard Kurama pulled, and his mind was too scattered for him to try and come up with a logical plan.

Hair coiled suddenly around the three demon's throats and they were hurled away from Kuwabara's barely moving form. The three slammed painfully hard into opposite walls, thick hair keeping them pinned down to the ground, as the ghostly woman lowered towards Kuwabara. Her thin hands reached for Kuwabara's chest, her fingers stained with ink, and inhumanely long.

"KUWABARA!" Yusuke shrieked, his eyes flashing gold as he tried to summon all the strength within his body. But the hair kept piling on, and Yusuke felt his legs tremble beneath him.

Kuwabara was dimly aware of what was going on, but he was fading fast. He was drowning... he was dying. This was to be his end... and all because he'd been a fool. Too afraid to tell his friends of his dreams. As the lightest of touches came to rest on his chest, he thought with a deep regret that his friends would also die. And this too... would be his fault.

Kuwabara's thoughts flew away from the living world-just before both the specter's hands fell on his chest.

In an instant the ghost was shrieking, her hands caught up in a bright golden flame. The spirit drew itself back, but the flames spread over her body, and down her hair until golden flames engulfed the room. The three demons could not feel the fires as the woman did, not even a hint of warmth touched their skin as fire skittered all around them. It seemed the flame could only harm the Yurei.

Yusuke didn't waste time gawking at the sight of golden flames, but instead fired a spirit gun directed for the ghost. It did not hit, and instead-in sheer luck-hit and shattered the mask on Kuwabara's face. The mask burst into pieces seeming to melt within the remaining ink that spilled forth from the broken mask. Kuwabara's eyes were closed, and his mouth slightly open, a pool of black ink sitting within his slightly agape mouth, staining his teeth and tongue.

"HIEI!" Yusuke barked, eyes flashing.

Hiei moved at the sound of his name, whistling his sword in a great flurry around himself-managing to cut through the hair in the spirit's weakened state. Faster than a blink he had freed himself from the hair, and then proceeded to free the others. Finally Hiei was stooping down low, and gathering Kuwabara like an over-sized package and charging out of the shrine, Kurama and Yusuke close at his heels. Without looking back, or acknowledging the shrieking woman, the three managed to make it safely out of the shrine as it crumbled in on itself. Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke had just placed Kuwabara in the sand, when the building seemed to take a shuddering breath, and collapsed in on itself, disappearing with the sound of a woman's wail.

When all was done, and everything again was still and calm, only a few wooden stilts remained scattered on the ground where the shrine once had been.

"Kuwabara...Kuwabara?!" Kurama's voice drew everyone back to reality.

The three demon's turned to the human of their group, who had stopped moving long ago. Ink still stained his face, hair and clothes, a few stray strands of black hair coiling around his throat and body like vicious snakes. But even worse than the wiggling remnants of living hair, was Kuwabara's completely motionless body, and the ink dripping steadily from his nostrils and mouth.

Kuwabara was not breathing.

 **End of Chapter 3**


	4. Kakusu Village

"Kuwabara?!"

"Kuwabara! Kuwabara?!"

"Kuwabara! Kuwabara! Kurama, Kurama _do_ something! He's not breathing- **he's not breathing!** "

Kurama ignored the chaos around him and focused instead on Kuwabara's still form lying prone on the ground. Kuwabara's life was hanging in the balance, and Kurama would be damned if he let him die. Kurama grasped Kuwabara's shirt, and ripped it from his friend's chest, ensuring that the shirt wouldn't be in his way when he started CPR. Brushing the pouch aside that hung around Kuwabara's neck, Kurama made a mental note of the item, but for now ignored its presence. Kurama was pretty sure this had been what caught the ghost on fire, and while he was grateful, Kurama could only wonder where Kuwabara got it from. With cold trembling hands he tilted Kuwabara's face to the side, and cringed as black ink drained from the unconscious young man's mouth. Kurama could hear a slight scuffle behind him, and glancing back saw Hiei was holding Yusuke back from lunging forward towards them.

"Kuwabara..." Yusuke choked, his voice shaking with emotion, and his eyes wild.

"Let Kurama work!" Hiei hissed at Yusuke, but kept his eyes locked with Kurama's.

Hiei was silently willing Kurama to fix this, and bring Kuwabara back. Guilt was waging a war in Hiei's red orbs, and Kurama had to turn away, unable to look.

'We should have listened to Kuwabara,' Kurama thought, cringing away from his own thoughts, unable to bare that guilt at the moment.

Kurama adjusted Kuwabara's head, before straddling himself over Kuwabara's waist, so that he could hover over the taller man. Folding his hands together, Kurama began to compress Kuwabara's chest, counting down from thirty in his head slowly as he compressed Kuwabara's chest. When that was done Kurama pressed his left hand to Kuwabara's forehead, and used his right to tilt Kuwabara's chin up and head back. Ensuring that Kuwabara's mouth was clear, Kurama hastily pressed his lips against Kuwabara's and forced three large puffs of air into Kuwabara's chest.

He took a moment to check if Kuwabara was breathing on his own, and when Kurama found Kuwabara was not-began the process all over again.

The group was wrapped in silence as Kurama worked, only the sound of Kuwabara's creaking rips, and Kurama's anxious efforts making any sounds. There was a startling moment when Kurama heard a loud crack, and both Yusuke and Hiei took in anxious breaths. Kurama wanted to assure his friends that sometimes during CPR this happened, ribs gave way. A broken rib or two was a small price to pay when it came to your life. But Kurama found he could not speak, his throat was too tight with anxiety. Instead Kurama shrugged off any questions, and tried to work faster.

Kurama had just lowered his lips to Kuwabara's for a fourth time, when a swell of ink began to pour from Kuwabara's mouth.

Kurama backed away immediately helping Kuwabara turn his head, so the human could expel all the ink that was trapped in his stomach and lungs.

"Oh thank God, Kuwabara!"

"He's breathing!"

Kuwabara's eyes remained closed, as his body jerked, and ink expelled violently passed his lips. After what seemed like an impossible amount of ink left Kuwabara's body, the man back down into the sand, remaining flat on his back. The two leftmost fingers on his left hand twitched, and the shallowest of breaths rattled from Kuwabara's chest.

The three were letting out shaky sighs of relief when a shriek ripped the air around them. The earth shook, and dull howl echoed from below them as the twisted form of the Yūrei burst from the sands. Her body had stretched long, her legs and arms has multiplied, while her long black her swung and wrapped tightly around her body giving her the appearance of having spikes. The inhuman form bent forward, shrieking as it tilted their face towards them.

Her white face stood out like a light against her dark hair, and just as dark eyes leered down at the small group. Her eyes were completely blacked out, and ink dripped from them as if her eyes had been freshly painted on. The ghost's form now took on that of a monstrous centipede, and the three former spirit detectives froze under her gaze. The Yūrei howled bitterly, only one solitary name echoing past her lips before she dove towards the prone group, " **KUWABARA! "**

* * *

 **It was 1645, on the sixteenth day of the seventh month.**

Kazuma Kuwabara woke up.

The young monk blinked as rays of light pooled in through the window, warming his face. Stirring slowly, he wiped his eyes ridding the sleep from beneath them and with a half awake groan slowly rose from his pallet. It was another day in the village of Kakusu, a hidden village in the mountains, covered just as thickly in snow, as it was in secrets.

Kuwabara rolled up his pallet and blankets, gently placing them aside in the corner of his small room. From there, he pulled out his nagajuban, a plain robe he wore under his kimono. Once that was on, he adorned himself in a blue kimono, which signified his rank and place at the Kakusu temple he resided in. Lastly he grabbed a black Hanten, made for him from a friend he planned to visit today.

Her husband was to be sent to a battle, as ordered by their village's lord.

 _'More like ordered from Master Sakumoto...'_ Kuwabara thought bitterly, before banishing his negative thoughts. It was not good to think so negatively on the shrine's leader...

Grabbing a bamboo umbrella, Kuwabara exited his private hut, and made his way outside. Snow fell in heavy flakes making the world white and gray. Kuwabara pulled his Hanten closer, and began walking down the small path that brought him towards the temple his hut was tucked behind. Glancing at it, he could see none of his fellow monks inside, and concluded that like him they would be at the village to watch the samurai march away into what seemed like a pointless scuffle.

Lord Eizen of the village, had taken over as the villager's Lord in the wake of his father's, mysterious death. The former lord, Lord Hosen, had been found dead in his study, sitting among his scrolls and a lone sake bottle. Poison had been suspected, but nothing had been proved. A call for a thorough investigation had been asked for, but it was Sakumoto who stepped forward, and claimed that Lord Hosen was killed for some slight or another. This was argued against, but Sakumoto insisted that the Lord's death had been the man's own doing. In the end nothing was resolved, and Sakumoto was forcing the leadership of the village on Sakumoto's oldest son, Eizen.

Eizen was thirteen,not quite a man, not quite a boy, and definitely not ready to lead on his own. He listened mostly to the words of the aged Sakumoto, leader of the Kakusu Shinto shrine, and leader of 'The Many Psychic Hands,' an elite group of psychics. Their powers were sought after far and wide across Japan, the monks abilities ranging from fortune telling, to mighty spiritual powers. These monks were so powerful they had long ago settled in the mountains so those only with the purest intentions could reach them, and so that the monks could train in relative solitude. A village had sprung up around them, but the psychics seemed content to ensure the protection of the villagers, provided the villagers never questioned their actions. Counting Kuwabara, who was the youngest in their fold, there were twenty of them.

The Many Psychic Hands, had been established almost a century ago, and there numbers had been in the upper hundreds. But lately it seemed like the gift of psychic abilities was dwindling, and under Lord Sakumoto's rules, the group hardly left the mountain to seek to add to their group. Kuwabara had only been allowed in the shrine because his mother had brought him here, and before the eyes of the aging monks Kuwabara had preformed what they called, "a miracle."

Kuwabara could not remember much of his life with his mother, but he remembered spirits often followed them and sought him out because of his gifts. Because of this, a spirit had killed his father, and caused resentment from his mother. There was some small part of her that must have loved him, as she brought him to this village rather than abandon him. When she brought Kuwabara to the monks, she had fallen to her knees and begged them to take her son under their care. At first they had refused, but then one of the elders watched as Kuwabara picked up an injured bird. The boy had held the dying bird close to his chest for a moment, and then released it gently.

The bird took off high into the air and soared away, and with its flight, Kuwabara's fate to be raised at the shrine was sealed.

Kuwabara stopped walking, his feet sinking in the snow as he tried to block out the memory of his mother's retreating back. She had been so relieved to leave him.

Tilting his head to look out up at the white sky, Kuwabara thought about the rigorous training he had undergone. His powers flourished in healing, but he had even found a way to physically manipulate his energy into a weapon to battle hostile demons. Kuwabara had only used the method once, and his bright spirit energy right now resembled a rod.

With practice, Kuwabara hoped to be able to manipulate his energy into that of a sword.

While Kuwabara took much joy in helping the villagers, and any who sought their aid and powers, Kuwabara's life had been hard. Master Sakumoto regarded him cruelly, and Kuwabara was often given tasks that would have been better suited for someone with more experience. Kuwabara would somehow always manage to complete his tasks, but Kuwabara was always left injured and weakened afterwards. And if he showed any signs of resentment, Kuwabara would be given a punishment to cleanse his negative thoughts, that normally injured Kuwabara further.

It felt like Sakumoto was trying to get Kuwabara killed.

"Remember boy, your powers are for the good of all!" Sakumoto would always say, his withered face leering down at Kuwabara, "Duty comes before personal safety. You would do best to remember that."

Kuwabara took a breath, and shook the old monk's sneering face from his mind. He made to continue walking down the thin path, and towards Kakusu village, when the sound of a bell caught his attention.

Turning towards the trees that lined the path Kuwabara managed to make out a fox caught in trap. The trap was not an ordinary trap for hunting foxes, but instead was meant to capture demons who might try to set foot near the shrine. The trap was adorned with talismans and wards that would weaken the demon, and make it easy for them to catch. Lately more and more traps had been set up around the shrine, and village. When demons were caught they were taken inside the shrine, and down into the lower rooms where Kuwabara was not allowed.

Something... odd was going on. The monks didn't seem to be exorcising the demons right away... if they were the demons wouldn't be taken within the shrine. But the demons were being caught, and left alive... and then they would disappear somewhere in the shrine. Kuwabara had asked questions, but was was dismissed, his concerns clearly not mattering. Something was happening, and Kuwabara had no idea what.

Approaching the fox, the creature snarled at him, his fur bristling as he tried to make himself look bigger. Kuwabara observed the creature, nothing that it was already larger than most foxes Kuwabara had seen. The fox's eyes glowed a bright gold, power and wisdom glimmering within them. Flickering aggressively behind the fox, were three white trails. The center tail was more solid than the others, but the other two radiated with power, and warned of a demonic strength.

It would be a terrible shame if the monks got a hold of this creature... They would disappear him somewhere in the shrine, and the beautiful white fox would never be seen again...

Kuwabara approached the fox despite the animal's vicious snarls. Producing a small knife from a hidden pocket in his Hanten, Kuwabara used his other hand to cuff the fox by the back of his head, and push its muzzle into the snow. The fox was whining and screeching fiercely now, trying vainly to struggle against Kuwabara's hand. But Kuwabara was strong, and kept the fox's dangers teeth away from him. Kuwabara brought the knife down towards the rope about the creatures leg, and cut through the bonds quickly, before springing back away from the wild creature.

The fox lashed out, managing the snap at two of Kuwabara's fingers, before springing away from the man and the trap. Kuwabara winced, holding his bleeding fingers to him, and watched as the fox turned in a circle, sniffing about himself and relishing in his new found freedom. The fox then turned its wise gaze to Kuwabara, and tilted his head. It seemed unsure of what Kuwabara had just done, or if the human expected something.

"Go on now...and warn those like you to stay away. The monks here are not behaving normally... you should not linger here," Kuwabara warned.

The fox stayed a moment longer, an ear twitching in the silence the two shared. Its tails flared behind him, flashing in a warning of demonic energy, and then the fox took off, blending in with the snow as it went.

Kuwabara was stuck holding his throbbing hand, sitting in the cold as snow poured around him. The pain was a warning and a reminder of what could happen if he helped a demon.

"...I wish you had killed me," Kuwabara whispered, only the wind hearing his words.

* * *

Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama were still frozen as the horrifying ghost dove for them, when a familiar voice bellowed, "GET DOWN!"

The three flattened themselves on the ground, Yusuke and Kurama throwing themselves on top of Kuwabara's body. Hiei was at Kuwabara's feet, on his belly his sword brandished at and awkward angle. He was ready to strike even from his limited point if he need be.

A white wave of energy erupted over their heads, and crackled through the air until it collided with the Yurei. A woman's shriek rang out over the beach, loud and high making all who heard it, wince and reach to protect their ears. There was a sound much like thunder echoing in a storm, and then a blinding light swallowed the group hole. When it had passed, and everyone's vision returned to them, the twisted specter was gone. The shrine which had vanished before, was back, precariously balanced on high wooden stilts, as if it hadn't disappeared in the first place.

Shaken, the three demons sat up, and turned slowly, seeing Genkai breathing hard behind them. Her hands trembled and her shoulders shook, the energy she had just used haven taken a toll on her body. Her cane was not with her, and her knees trembled, her left lag shaking the most. Tucked behind Genkai, was Botan who was clutching her oar to her chest, her mouth open wide and eyes round with fright. The spirit guide, under Genkai's orders, had flown the older woman to this location, and the two had just barely made it in time to stop the monstrosity that had been about to descend upon the group.

"Genkai!" Yusuke gasped, relief and shock echoing unbidden in his words.

Genkai marched over to the group, and with no words placed a hand on Kuwabara's neck. After a moment she sighed tensely, "Thank God... He's alive! But it seems just barely..."

Botan rushed to join the group, sputtering questions, that went ignored as the boys were asking their own questions, until the air was a mangled mess of words.

"What's going on! What happened to you!?"

"Genkai how did you know where to find us!?"

"Can you help Kuwabara?"

"What was that attack?"

"Did you you retrieve the masks?"

"No, we didn't retrieve the masks!"

"Did you see that creature? I think it was a spirit... a Yūrei Onryō-"

"What could Kuwabara have possibly done to insight the wrath of a vengeful ghost?"

"On-ree-what'o?"

"Master Genkai-"

"SILENCE!" Genkai bellowed from her bent position. She was still looking over Kuwabara's face, and with her sleeve was scrubbing the ink of of it. He would need to a bath to get the ink out of his hair and fully off his skin... his teeth would be stained black for a month, as well as the insides of his nose from the looks of it. Gently she touched the pouch she had given Kuwabara, and felt its pulsing energy beneath her hands. She was glad she gave it to him... it had protected Kuwabara far better than she had hoped.

Falling fully to her knees, Genkai placed a hand on Kuwabara's chest, and gently pat the unconscious youth down. She cringed at the broken ribs she felt, but gently concentrated on sending her energy coursing over Kuwabara's body. Soon he would heal, and they could leave. As she mended the young man, she found herself thinking of their first meeting, and how at that time she had healed his body after the run in with Rando.

 _..."Hurry... You have a choice to make. A grave one. Kuwabara doesn't have much time..." Mitamura whispered, his voice almost lost as the sound of his students flooding the room echoed around them._

 _"Hurry. He'll die Genkai... he will die."..._

Genkai closed her eyes and grit her teeth as Mitamura interrupted her thoughts. His power had revealed to her Kuwabara's fate, of his link between the past and present. Kuwabara was stuck in a loop where his sole purpose was to be born, and killed by this woman. He had revealed so much to her, that Genkai didn't know what to do with this information. She glanced behind her at the squabbling group, and her eyes rest on Yusuke's anxious, and angry face.

She had to tell Yusuke.

Kurama and Hiei would have their own parts to play in this... but Genkai had to tell Yusuke what she learned if they were to save Kuwabara.

But at this point she wasn't sure if he could do what needed to be done. And then again if they failed and Kuwabara died... would Yusuke ever be able to forgive himself.

"There are no easy choices," She muttered bitterly, gently running a hand over Kuwabara's forehead in an uncharacteristically motherly gesture.

"What kind of crazy mission did Koenma send us on?" Yusuke's voice roared over the din.

Botan flinched, her eyes misty, "I-I don't know! He didn't say anything about a giant centipede woman! He just... all I know is that those masks... They need to be retrieved."

"Well we were unable to get them, because one was trying to fucking drown Kuwabara-and OH! Damn near succeeded!"

"Now is not the time for discussion, or your petty arguments!" Genkai snapped, getting to her feet and turning to glare at the group. "We will convene back at my shrine and I will explain as much as I know. We can not stay here... the spirit had been repelled, but she is not gone. When she recovers enough strength she may come back here." Genkai grunted, and with effort lifted Kuwabara to a sitting position. Turning to look at Botan, Genkai asked, "Can you carry Kuwabara and myself back to the shrine? I need to cleanse him of the evil that has touched him."

"Oh! Y-Yes! Yes, I can carry you both!" Botan answered with a stutter, holding her oar out, "Drape Kuwabara over the front and then you will have to sit behind me... I'm afraid that's the best way I can carry us all the the shrine!"

"I can't believe he would come here after all these dreams," Genkai grumbled, bracing herself to try and lift Kuwabara.

"Dreams? Wait, what dreams Genkai?" Yusuke asked, eyes wide and alert.

Genkai looked at the group, and seeing confused faces, she shook her head, "My goodness Kuwabara you are an absolute dim-wit!"

Looking to the groups worried faces Genkai sighed, "Kuwabara has been plagued with dreams...visions. Visions of a woman haunting him... its gotten so bad he has removed himself from school and sought my help. I can see that you're all concerned-"

"Concerned!? I'm pissed off!" Yusuke seethed. Kurama placed a hand on Yusuke's shoulder, squeezing it to encourage the young man to be silent. Yusuke grit his teeth, and balled his hands into fists, but closed his mouth staying silent.

Genkai sighed, "Look... as I said I'll explain everything at the shrine-everything! We need to go now."

Genkai, again made a move to pick Kuwabara up, but Yusuke surged forward. Without being told, Yusuke hoisted his best friend up and draped him over Botan's oar. The oar faltered a little, but remained hovering in the air, managing the heavy burden with some effort. Botan saddled up behind Kuwabara, placing a gentle hand on his back, and then Genkai mounted behind her. The oar seemed to struggle with the combined weight, but Botan kicked off the ground, and slowly the trio began to rise in the air.

"Meet us back at the shrine!" Genkai called down to the Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke. She gestured towards their car, "And floor it!"

Botan titled her oar up, and the three were careening through the air and out of sight before the demons could properly respond.

"She knows something about this," Hiei muttered voice dark, and dripping with a many smattering of emotions.

"She does," Yusuke agreed, tone angry and voice unsteady, " Kuwabara's been dealing with something on his own. Keeping secrets."

"I don't think Kuwabara knew this was going to happen! He would have said something," Kurama insisted, not wanting Yusuke and Hiei to start assuming the worst.

"But something is going on, he knew something!" Hiei insisted, his face red from frustration and anger, "He knew something, and told us nothing!"

"There's no time to question this bull shit right now!" Yusuke interrupted Hiei, shooting Hiei a warning look. It was clear they were all angry, and even if Yusuke wanted to kick Kuwabara's ass, Yusuke wasn't about to let anyone talk bad about him. Hiei pursed his lips, but said nothing else, and turned his eyes away from Yusuke's angry glare.

Storming towards the car, Yusuke shouted, "Let's just go! If we want our questions answered we need to go right the fuck now!"

Yusuke's voice rippled with emotion, and golden energy seemed to sweep from his body. Kurama and Hiei glanced at each other before following after Yusuke in a hushed silence. Yusuke was right, if they wanted answers they needed to get back to Genkai's shrine. The three piled into the car, ignored the empty seat left in Kuwabara's absence, and set off, speeding down the road.

Long strands of black hair streamed from their car's antenna, unnoticed from the three in the car.

 **End of Chapter Four**


	5. And the Samurai go Marching on

**Notes:**

I realize i'm throwing around words that may be unknown so here's a little list:

Kote: armored glove like sleeves which extended to the shoulder or han kote (kote gauntlets) which covered the forearms. Kote were made from cloth covered with iron plates of various size and shape, connected by chain armor.

Hanten: a short winter coat, is an item of traditional Japanese clothing. The coat started to be worn, especially by the common people, in the 18th century during the Edo period.

Nagajuban: A kimono-shaped robe worn by both men and women beneath the main outer garment. (This is normally used for extra warmth, and also as a way to keep the body away from the finer silks of the outer Kimono.

Mudra: seal", "mark", or "gesture"; is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism.

 **So I've done a lot of research for this story, but i've added a fictitious lore into some of it, specifically with the use and power of Murdra, or symbolic hand gestures. Some of the meanings I explain in the story are true, but I've added more fictitious elements to enhance the story! So please don't take everything I write about the mudra as fact.**

* * *

When Genkai and Botan arrived at the shrine, Yukina was was waiting for them on the porch. She stood alone, twisting her hands in nervous, furious circles about her waist. The moment Botan touched ground outside the shrine, Yukina was rushing forward to help. Her hands flew to Kuwabara, and she titled the unconscious man's chin up, crying out as black ink dripped from his mouth, and stained her finger tips. Eyes wild and fearful, her head bobbed between Kuwabara, Genkai, and Botan, Yukina's mouth opening and closing as she struggled with something to say.

"Yukina, it'll be alright!" Botan spoke first, struggling with the weight of Kuwabara's body.

Yukina sniffed, not looking the least bit convinced, and turned towards the older woman, "Master Genkai-"

"Yukina, come help us with Kuwabara. He's completely out of it and he's incredibly heavy!" Genkai interrupted firmly, not giving Yukina time to panic and ask any questions.

Now was no time for anyone to breakdown.

The three woman struggled with Kuwabara's heavy body, and managed to get hims inside with some difficulty, and heavy swearing on Genkai's part. Yukina directed them into Genkai's living room, where a pallet was already made up, and waiting. Genkai had told Yukina to be prepared for anything before she had left to go find the boys, and was grateful she had as they lowered Kuwabara on to the pallet.

"Oh thank God!" Botan gasped, practically collapsing next to Kuwabara, closing her eyes with an exhausted groan.

"He's heavy," Yukina conceded, pushing hair from her face, but then immediately tending to Kuwabara, and trying to lay him out more comfortably.

Genkai was looking around the room, noticing that Yukina had cleared away furniture to turn the living room into an emergency care center. Besides the pallet Kuwabara was on, there were three other pallets, several bowls of water, rags, and a first aid kit, as well as a smattering of other odds and ends that they might have needed. Yukina had prepared for the worst.

"Good Girl," Genkai muttered, squeezing Yukina's arm briefly as Yukina too a hand towel and wiped ink from Kuwabara's lips.

"There seems to be a dark aura around him…" Yukina noted anxiously, her voice sounding watery. Her eyes were filled with questions, and she whimpered as Kuwabara coughed, spitting more ink from his mouth.

Genkai placed a hand on Kuwabara's forehead and frowned, answering in a low voice, "Something... has happened. We won't know what until Yusuke and the others get back. But Kuwabara must be battling an evil spirit… Botan, Yukina-there is much to be done, and very little time to do it. So listen now, and do as I say! Botan, I'm giving you the difficult task of alerting Shizuru-"

"Now wait! Genkai! I don't want to tell her alone!" Botan wailed, eyes flying open wide with panic as she shot up off the floor.

"Save it Botan there is too much to do here to waste time arguing! Go get Shizuru and bring her back here, I'll need all the help I can get until the boys return! Shizuru should also be here... she has a right to know whats going on," Genkai ordered, brushing past Botan and Yukina, stomping down the hallways and towards the bathroom.

"Yukina! Strip Kuwabara down!" Genkai's voice echoed down the hall, followed by the sound of running water shortly after.

Yukina's cheeks colored pink, and Botan too looked a little flushed.

"We need to clean him, and do a spiritual cleansing! I pray something small will be enough... but if not we may need to preform a full exorcism. And if that happens Kuwabara may harm himself, or break into a fever... he'll need to be clean if we're going to go through all that. We need to set up wards around the shrine, and expel any remnants of the spirit that is seeking Kuwabara out! So much to do..." Genkai's last few words could barely be heard over the roar of the running water, and towards the end of her speech it became obvious Genkai was talking more to herself.

It was hard to imagine, but it seemed Genkai was in as much as a panic as Yukina and Botan.

A moment later Genkai came storming back into the living room, her sleeves rolled up and her hands busy with tying her hair up into a messy bun. Glaring at the two woman she clapped her hands together and barked, "What the hell are you two just doing standing there?! Botan-go get Shizuru! Yukina-help me strip Kuwabara. NOW!"

Both woman jumped, and momentarily collided as they scrambled to follow Genkai's demands. When the two managed to untangle, Botan was sprinting for the door, her oar in hand, and Yukina was hastily scrambling to unbutton Kuwabara's shirt. Genkai nodded at the sight, and exited the room calling over her shoulder, "Yukina when his clothes are removed-burn them. Leave the pouch around his neck-i'm going to set up wards and talismans outside! We don't want anything extra to get in!"

Shortly after Genkai was gone, Yukina had removed the last of Kuwabara's clothes, and gently placed the blanket over Kuwabara's body for his modesty. Kuwabara did not stir, his face scrunched up as if caught in a nightmare, the remnants of dark ink making his face look even more distraught. Yukina gently placed a hand on his cheek, eyes softening with emotion, "Hang in there Kazuma…"

With one last look, Yukina gathered all of Kuwabara's clothes, including his shoes, and hastily exited the room.

Kuwabara lay still in his makeshift bed for three blessed heartbeats. For a small moment he was peaceful, and his body was at rest. A creak echoed down the hall, and Kuwabara's body jerked in response at the sound. Even in his unconscious state, his spiritual power was ever alert to the dangers coming... Another sound that could be mistaken for the house settling echoed from somewhere down the furthest hall, and Kuwabara's face contorted while his head lolled to one side. A tiny groan slipped past his lips, and his fists clenched weakly at his blankets.

A creak turned into a scratch, and a resounding echoing hum came from down the hall, and the door to the room Kuwabara had stayed in just that morning, opened.

Kuwabara's body began to slowly convulse, as if trying to wake Kuwabara as the danger approached. His chest rose and his body arched, but Kuwabara's eyes still remained closed, his mind far from reality.

The large pile of hair, which had sat statically in the shrine's guest room, had twitched with dark energy the moment Kuwabara had been brought inside the shrine. And now as Kuwabara lay alone, the hair moved like a dark wave, making its slow way for Kuwabara's body. Slithering into the room, the long black mass of hair rose up like a giant wave, and split itself into several large coils. The strands slowly twisted until their ends had come to a sharpened point, and leered down, hunched like a waiting predator over Kuwabara's spasming body.

As the hair continued to swell, Kuwabara's body continued to convulse, the jerks becoming more rapid as the hair continued to expand and fill the room. Kuwabara's eyes had began to roll in the back of his head, and his mouth lolled open as foam began to bubble out his throat, desperate gasps trailing behind the froth. His body pulsed with an orange energy, and the hair responded in turn with a deep purple echo of energy.

A last choking sound gurgled from Kuwabara's mouth as his body tried desperately to bring Kuwabara back to the living world. A shudder ran through the mass of hair, and at last the hair descended, rushing towards Kuwabara's helpless body like many sharpened spears.

* * *

 **It was 1645, on the sixteenth day of the seventh month**

Kazuma Kuwabara finally made it down the central hub of Kakusu village. He had taken a moment to heal his throbbing fingers, willing orange energy over the small stinging wounds on his digits. But when his wound was gone, he made his way down the small winding trail, and now stood at the crest of a hill overlooking his small village. Just below were all the townspeople, mingling with their loved ones, before the Samurai would march on. To the east, standing on the elaborate porch of the Lord's house, was Lord Eizen himself, surrounded by the Many Psychic Hands.

Sakumoto stood tall, with his hand gently placed on Eizen's shoulder.

Kuwabara shook his head, and made his way towards the crowd. All of the town had come to bid the samurai farewell as they traveled south to do battle with another sect of Samurai from the Hitsu village. The Hitsu village had been their ally and neighbor for many years, until suddenly Sakumoto started spreading whispers that Hitsu village was somehow behind the negative energy that was starting to plague Kakusu's village. These whispers had gone ignored for the most part, but when Lord Hosen died, the whispers seemed to spread faster and faster, until the town was barging down Eizen's door, demanding that the orphan, and newly appointed leader do something.

"Hitsu village is cursing our land, our mountain, and has somehow brought about the death of Lord Eizen's father! Lord Hosen was made mad by demonic prayer and worship, all spurned from the jealousy from Hitsu village. We must crush them now!" Sakumoto had bellowed passionately in the middle of the frenzied crowd...

And just like that, their bond with Hitsu village would soon be severed and washed away in blood.

Kuwabara wondered how Sakumoto could call himself a monk at all if he was so willing to start calling for blood lust.

Kuwabara shook his head and tugged his Hanten closer, and scanned his eyes along the crowd. A gust of cool wind ripped over the crowd, and sent a pink silk flower dancing in the air. It twirled and twisted as the winds thrashed over it, but the delicate flower merely toppled easily in the wind, soft and intact. The forceful winds would not tear apart the delicate flower, as much as it tried.

Kuwabara struck forward towards the flower, and managed to catch it as it floated down towards the ground. Kuwabara had recognized the small flower, and headed from where the delicate piece had appeared from. Spotting a woman in a beautifully rich Kimono, Kuwabara held the flower aloft and called, "Iwako!"

The woman turned, one hand raised to her head, from where a silk flower had become unpinned. The woman was about five years older than Kuwabara, and lovelier than the delicate flowers that adorned her hair. Her hair was a fine black which she kept elegantly pinned and oiled into fine swoops, and always adorned with some ornament. Her husband favored her hair, and often brought her fine things to adorn her hair, and among those ornamental pieces were normally silk flowers. Today she was robed in a fine green kimono, that faded into a flush pink and red towards the bottom. Branches with white, yellow, and pale pink flowers had been skillfully woven into the fabric, and made the woman like the walking embodiment of spring.

Her eyes were a rich brown, and always friendly-Kuwabara's favorite part about his beloved friend.

"Kappa, Kappa!" A small child's voice rang out, and Kuwabara stooped just in time to catch a little girl dressed in a red kimono, who was charging at him, her little fists raised.

"Ah Hanna-chan! I've caught you!" Kuwabara rumbled lifting the child into one of his arms, and pecking her cheek in a brotherly affection.

The girl immediately wrapped her arms tight around Kuwabara's neck and squeezed so hard, the poor monk wouldn't be able to speak until she released him. He coughed a little, and she loosened enough to allow him to breathe.

Taking the last two steps toward the beautiful woman, child still tucked in his arm, Kuwabara extended his free hand holding out the silk flower.

"Kuwabara-thank you! The wind surprised me..." the woman said, taking the flower with gentle hands. She then reached out and rubbed the little girl's back, "Hanna! Lightly now-lightly! You're going to strangle your beloved Kappa!"

The girl giggled, and loosened her hold. Mischievousness flashing in her eyes, she looked Kuwabara in the eye and giggled, "Mama thinks you're a Kappa too!"

"Well if I'm a Kappa, you're a terrible little oni!" Kuwabara sighed dramatically, the girl screeching in protest.

Hanna was Iwako's daughter, and Kuwabara loved to share with the child local legends. The girl's favorite creature, oddly enough, was the kappa. Kuwabara blamed himself for the child's fascination. He had described the creature as a humanoid, resembling a man, a turtle, and a duck at the same time. Kuwabara had then explained how the creatures had bowls of water on their heads, and if she ever ran into one, she needed to be polite, and bow, so that the Kappa would mimic the movement. If she managed to make the Kappa dump his water, the Kappa wouldn't be able to move. Kuwabara had further demonstrated this by putting a bowl on his head and bowing, forgetting that the bowl did actually have water inside it.

He wound up dousing them both, which Hanna found delightful. Iwako had been frustrated as Kuwabara had given the demonstration in her kitchen...

Since the incident, Hanna often greeted Kuwabara by crying out: "Kappa, Kappa!"

Kuwabara would normally bow in response, but the crowd was too thick today, and Kuwabara didn't want to lose sight of the tiny girl amongst the crowd.

"You're as ugly as a Kappa!" a teasing, rough voice cracked over the crowd.

"Tosho!" Iwako sputtered, turning with her hands on her hips, giving her husband a scolding look.

A shorter man (far shorter than Kuwabara) with long brown hair flying loosely about his shoulders, and shining brown eyes, stood grinning towards Kuwabara. Tosho was decked in a samurai suit, primarily made of Iron and leather. His armor was dyed and painted red, a gold sun painted across his chest, the rays spreading outward over his shoulders, and down his stomach. A bow was slung across his back, and two swords were at his hip. Tosho was someone Kuwabara had also grown up with, and Kuwabara had always looked up to him... figuratively, speaking of course.

When Kuwabara was a child, Kuwabara had thought of Tosho as his father, and Iwako as his mother...

It may have been silly, especially with the pair only being half a decade older than him, but Iwako and Tosho were both so kind and dear to him. The pair had incredible patience for the little child that used to trail after them, and Kuwabara couldn't help but think of them as the family he never had.

"I'm not that ugly!" Kuwabara scoffed, snickering as Iwako thumped Tosho on the chest for his rude comment.

Tosho snickered, "Just keep telling yourself that!" and with that said, he took the silk flower from his wife's hand, and gently pinned it back into her hair. His fingers lingered in his wife's hair, and he looked upon his wife with such tenderness, Kuwabara adverted his eyes out or respect, and a little embarrassment.

When Tosho had finished his moment of tenderness with his wife, he approached Kuwabara with two bold steps, and reached up, dragging the taller man down by clapping a hand to the back of the monk's head. Kuwabara was momentarily startled, but sunk into the awkward embrace, having been accustomed to the gesture since childhood. Tosho pressed his forehead to Kuwabara's and whispered a friendly word, as for a moment the pair remained together. Gently Tosho withdrew, squeezed Kuwabara's shoulder, and then plucked his daughter from Kuwabara's arm.

She squealed in delight as he held her, her face a picture of happiness. She was a little too young to understand fully what was going on.

"Ah Hanna, my child! You must take care of your mother, and your Kappa for me, while I'm away!" Tosho sighed, chuckling as his daughter rubbed herself against his grizzled cheek.

"I'll miss you Papa! You must kill lots and lots of bad people so you can come home!" Hanna sighed, nuzzling into her father like an overly affectionate kitten.

A momentary awkward silence passed over the three adults, as they looked at each other and then back to Hanna.

"Ah..." Tosho murmured, squeezing his daughter tight, and reluctantly agreeing with her request, "I will have to kill lots and lots...before I can come home." His words sagged bitterly, made more ominous even as he mimicked the small girl's childish chatter.

Someone was shouting overhead, and Tosho perked up as a whistle rang out over the men.

"It's time..." Tosho said, tone serious as he looked to Kuwabara, and then to Iwako.

Kuwabara's throat constricted, and a sudden lump made it hard to breathe. Kuwabara surged forward and pulled Tosho forward, boldly hugging the samurai tight. There was a moment of hesitation, but then Tosho was returning the hug just as strongly.

"Return back to us!" Kuwabara finally managed, his words thick with emotion.

"Take care of my wife and girl while I'm away! And don't let Sakumoto poison Lord Eizen!" Tosho warned, his voice wavering with emotion as well. He pulled back and looked Kuwabara hard in the eye, "Most of the men will be marching towards this foolish skirmish-you'll be one of the few able, and honorable men left in the village! Think wisely, and act boldly! Be cautious and cunning my friend!"

Tosho and Kuwabara shared one more long look, and then Tosho was turning to Iwako. Iwako stood proud, waiting for her husband to turn to her. When he did, she held out both her hands, and he took them. Gently, he pressed feather light kisses to her fingertips, and whispered his affection into her hands so that she could carry his words with her. Iwako pulled him closer to her and pressed her brow to his, closing her eyes.

Despite the fact that many woman around them were weeping, Iwako shed no tears.

For a long quite moment the pair stood with each other, until Tosho was pulling reluctantly away. "I must get to my horse, and ride behind the Captain... He may need my bow."

"One more thing my husband..." Iwako whispered, pulling from her sleeve a long wooden box.

Kuwabara recognized the box as something Iwako normally stored her hand fan in. It was a pale brown on the outside and a polished pale white on the inside. It was made from the wood of a Ginkgo tree, and Tosho had spent many hours crafting the box himself. Kuwabara had even blessed the box to provide good fortune for Iwako and her family upon its completion.

Now, Iwako held the box out to her husband and whispered, "Inside the box are letters Hanna and I have written for you. When you are lonely, read them and feel like you're back home with us."

Tosho accepted the gift slowly, and held it for an extended moment looking deep in his wife's eye.

Finally, Tosho took the box, and tucked it under the iron Kote that adorned his arms and stretched up to his shoulders. He bowed briefly to his friend and family and then disappeared within the flanks of his fellow samurai. He only reappeared, mounted on a gray horse, his red helmet now on his head, his human face hidden now from the crowd.

"Pick me up!" Hanna whispered to Kuwabara, eyes searching for the last signs of her father.

Kuwabara obeyed, balancing the girl on his shoulder so that she could watch her father go.

Snow began to fall again as the men marched silently away from Kakusu village. Kuwabara watched Tosho's retreating form, until he was just a red dot standing out against the white in the distance. Kuwabara was momentarily startled as he felt Iwako's head fall on his shoulder. Kuwabara glanced down at the woman, and saw that her face was calm, but her eyes distant. A lone tear trickled down her cheek, and her jaw was set stiffly.

Kuwabara wrapped an arm around the woman, sharing the warmth of his Hanten. There the three remained in silence, knowing that it would be several months before the men would even arrive to the battlefield. And then even more months before word could be sent back to Kakusu village. And then who knows how long after that when they would return-if they managed to at all. For now they could only stand in the cold, and pray for a day which would hopefully bring good news, and reunite the separated families.

* * *

"Son of a bitch!" Genkai swore as she stomped out the the last remaining bits of fire in her living room. Behind her Yukina was struggling to hold Kuwabara down, Puu flapping above her, big fat tears dripping down his body, as he screeched loudly.

It was thanks to Puu that Kuwabara had been saved.

Genkai had come running back into the shrine upon hearing Puu squawking vigorously from within the shrine. Puu had managed to throw up a shield around Kuwabara as hair, hardened like many blades attacked the shield, aiming for Kuwabara's face or his chest. Puu's eyes were wild, and he glowed, seeming to be torn between wanting to take his full form, and wanting to stay hovering protectively over Kuwabara. For Kuwabara's part, his body twisted and writhed as a seizure over took him.

Genkai had wasted no time using her spiritual energy to eradicated the hair, as well as the blessed talismans that remained in her hand. She had been adorning the entrance of the shrine with them, but now cursed herself for not checking the security of the shrine first.

Yukina came running in just as the the last of the hair sizzled out, and with a cry threw her arms down on Kuwabara and tried to contain the man's shaking.

Genkai wiped the sweat from her brow, and redoubled Yukina's efforts to still Kuwabara's body.

"We need more help..." Genkai whispered as Kuwabara was finally brought back under control.

"Genkai?" Yukina's voice quaked as she looked to the older woman for answers.

"Help me get Kuwabara into the tub, and then get to the my phone. There's a number in a little book sitting on the desk. It will be highlighted in yellow, next to the name Mitamura. They have been through an ordeal themselves, but beg them to spare someone to come over here. We can't wait for Yusuke and the others...we are in dire need now!"

"Then we came just in time!" a young voice called out.

Genkai and Yukina turned, seeing the vaguely familiar faces of Mitamura's students, En, Ryo, and Kai.

Time had changed the three, but more than the passing of time had aided in their change. The fact that the three weren't being controlled by Ichigaki, and were free of his monstrous nanotechnology, the Virucchi, had had a gran effect on their states.

En was still small, and his orange hair was still wild and unruly, but had been cut in a way so that his face wasn't hidden under the constant mop. His body had filled a little more out, and his skin was flushed with life and color. Ryo had gotten broader and taller, and his eyes were that of an established master. The many scars that once decorated his body, had faded and been properly treated at last, making him look more whole than when they had all first met. Kai had a distinguished dusting of gray along the sideburns of his face, and in the edges of his mustache, and a few more crinkles about his eyes. All three had a healthier energy about them, which was much better compared to when they last met.

En rushed from his friends sides, and joined Yukina and Genkai, placing gentle hand on Kuwabara's still shuddering body.

"His spirit is exhausted!" En bemoaned, before quickly bending his hands into a different mudras and chanting. Kuwabara's body began to slowly still, and pulsated with a faint gold energy, pulsing as if in time with Kuwabara's heartbeat. Placing his palm to Kuwabara's chest, and then the other palm to his brow, En whispered an indistinguishable word, and flinched away as Kuwabara's own orange energy bust from his body. The Energy expelled outward in a bright radiant light, and then descended back down into Kuwabara's chest, the unconscious youth arching as his body jolted off the ground.

Kuwabara's eyes then flew open, and lurching to the side, Kuwabara expelled a mouthful of ink. When Kuwabara was done, he collapsed back into an unconscious state, letting out a raspy sigh. The ink he had thrown up slowly changed and shriveled into clumps of long black hair.

Genkai immediately took the hair in her hands, and with a shine of her eyes, and a spike of energy sent the hair aflame.

"Master Mitamura called for us, and asked us to assist you... we had been headed for the hospital to see him, but he begged us to come here first," Kai suddenly said, dark eyes scanning over Kuwabara's body, "I'm glad we listened."

"So am I," Genkai agreed, before snapping to En, "What did you just do?"

"Its a quick way to expel some possession from Kuwabara. It uses Kuwabara's own abilities against the negativity in his body. It can't get rid of the spirit on it's own, but it'll shake its hold on him up a bit," En explained, both hands still pressed to Kuwabara.

"Thank you three for showing up...it will be another hour before Yusuke and the others get back here, and we have our hands full. En, can you please help Yukina get Kuwabara into the bathroom? He needs to be clean if we're going to perform a full exorcism on him."

En nodded, and then politely gestured to the sobbing ice maiden to take Kuwabara's feet. Shakily Yukina complied, while En took Kuwabara under his pits, and shuffled the man awkwardly into the hallways towards the bathroom.

"Has it become so dire we need a full exorcism?" Ryo asked finally tearing his eyes away from Kuwabara's ailing form, and down towards the exhausted older woman.

An exorcism was hard to preform, and taxing on all who took part. Some people... did not survive an exorcism, and to risk one was not recommended. Especially if the person receiving the exorcism wasn't fully possessed. If a spirit had a weak hold of a person, it was better to shake its grasp from the person through other expulsion methods. A full exorcism, guaranteed harm.

"I am uncertain...but there is something inside of Kuwabara at this moment, of that I am sure... Maybe it is not all of the spirit, but a part of her has sunk her teeth in Kuwabara's soul, and will not let go," Genkai answered putting a shaking hand to her forehead, and brushing her hair from her face.

Turning her eyes upwards she scanned Ryo and Kai's faces before asking, "What do you know of our current situation?"

"Hardly anything," Kai admitted.

"Master Mitamura told us Kuwabara's life was in danger, and you needed our help-so we came running. We are still in a great debt to you for all that you've done for us," Ryo gushed, voice echoing with respect.

"Then I will give you a brief summery of what is going on, but first I must ask. Do you two know of protective chants and charms? Could you aid me with an exorcism if I needed?" Genkai's tone was steady and firm as her eyes bore deep into Ryo's and then into Kai's.

Kai held up a small black bag, "This is the Masters. It is filled with supplies to help us conduct an exorcism, and other smaller expulsion methods."

"Kai and I both can conduct a chant to help raise the spiritual defenses of the shrine, and protect us here. But if need be," Ryo added, "We can conduct a full exorcism."

Genkai sighed in relief, her head bowing into her chest, "Good... good."

Puu who had been bouncing around awkwardly, great big tears clinging to his large eyes, finally flapped up and landed on Genkai's shoulder. Genkai felt so tired, that the creatures minuscule weight might as well have been an entire mountain bearing down on her shoulders. She heaved a great sigh, and then pressed a weary hand to the top of Puu's head. She couldn't help but think if Puu was this upset, Yusuke too must have be in a great turmoil out there, where ever he was.

"Now...what En was doing. Can that be learned?" Genkai asked finally looking back up.

Ryo eagerly nodded, "Yes. For a novice, the chant would take a long while to learn it, but I'm sure you can master it within the hour."

"So that leaves Yusuke out from understanding it..." Genkai sighed. There was this twisted feeling in her gut that told her they would need to travel, or to do some act to rid themselves of this vengeful spirit. She had hoped she could get as many people as possible to learn the chant En had preformed. Genkai shook her head, and waved her hand, "Well never mind Yusuke, but show me. What exactly did En do?"

Ryo nodded and clapped Kai on the shoulder, "Kai, can you start performing a chant to help keep the shrine safe? I'll join you in a few moments."

Kai nodded, bowing his head respectfully before, heading outside, tossing over his shoulder, "I will be at the entrance of the shrine! There we can concentrate or energies to preventing any more evil from seeping inside!"

When the pair were alone, aside from one weeping miniature phoenix, Ryo held up his hand to show Genkai how to start the chant En had preformed on Kuwabara just moments ago.

"You first clear your mind of anxiety and all thought, save for the singular thought of helping the person this chant is for. Then, as you would when healing a person, you concentrate you energy into your hand. You must go through three mudras in rapid succession, and then ask the body to expel the darkness, before placing a hand on their forehead, and then over their heart. When you feel the person's heart beat beneath your hand you must then say, "Repel" and force energy into their body. This triggers the person's spiritual energy and life energy to try and kick out anything inside them that shouldn't be there."

Genkai nodded her head, "Alright, I understand. What are the Mudras needed? Teach me the signs."

Ryo nodded and touched the tip of his index to his thumb, his three other fingers stretched out, "This is the Mudra of Knowledge. You hold the energy into your hand when making this sign, and with this gesture bring your hand forward to coax the good energy into the person who needs it before you. It will increase the strength of his mind, and calm his hysteria and anxiety caused by the evil spirit."

Genkai mimicked the gesture, Ryo nodding in approval.

Ryo's hand changed back to a flat, palm open state. Slowly, he brought his ring finger to the tip of his thumb, his remaining digits splayed out, and upwards, "Next is the Mudra of Earth. Again you expel your energy through your hand and down into Kuwabara's body, transferring physical strength. This will help revitalize Kuwabara's energy, and boost his strength as he battles the spirit within him."

Again Ryo brought his hand back to palm flat up state. He then bent his ring finger and little finger to touch the tip of his thumb, his two remaining fingers pressed together and pointing up, "This is the Mudra of Life. Like the others you push your energy forward, pushing life energy into Kuwabara. This mudra will turn his weakness into strength, and encourage his life to be longer, and to fight for his life. After you make these three signs, you press your left hand on to Kuwabara's forehead, covering up his inner eye, and then your right over his heart, to purify the evil. Then say, "Repel," and push your energy into his body-and that's how you'll help expel some of the dark energy out of Kuwabara."

"Again, show me again," Genkai demanded, repeating the gestures to herself, trying to seal the new technique to her memory.

By the time Genkai had mastered the chant, Botan had returned with a half hysterical Shizuru, and then the woman busied with getting Kuwabara out of the tub and dried off. Time passed in a blur as Genkai again explained what she knew, and how they would have to wait for Yusuke to show up to get the rest of the story. Shizuru was a mess, and blamed herself for not convincing Kuwabara to coming sooner, to ask for help.

Genkai reflected that when all this was over, she would only remember the blur of color, and the cold sick anxiety that froze her blood.

When Kuwabara was robed, and placed back on the pallet, Genkai waved for Mitamura's students to began expelling any remaining evil from the shrine. As En, Ryo, and Kai chanted, Genkai then practiced her newly learned technique, sending her hands through the motions of the mudras, and finally willing Kuwabara to repel the darkness from his body.

Kuwabara moaned, and seized, his face spasming a moment, before he wretched, throwing up even more black ink than all the times before. Just as the last time, it shriveled and turned to hair. Genkai couldn't help but smile to herself as she rid the hair away with flames. Her power was greater than Ryo's, and it allowed for her to rid more of the dark energy from Kuwabara. There was a good chance they could get this thing from Kuwabara, without having to go through with a full exorcism.

The less they hurt Kuwabara, the better.

"I'm going to wait for Yusuke and the others!" Botan's shaky, but determined voice interrupted Genkai's thoughts.

"Take the remaining talismans that are on the front desk. Brush them over the boys so no more of that Yūrei's hair gets in here!" Genkai instructed without looking away from Kuwabara.

"Right!" Botan immediately answered, before her retreating footsteps let Genkai know she had left the room.

Shizuru dabbed a cool rag to her brother's sweating brow, "I can't believe this is happening..."

Yukina reached out and took Shzuru's wrist, offering what little comfort she could to the woman.

Puu who was hopping from shoulder to shoulder, offering and taking comfort from all that were in the shrine, jumped from Yukina's shoulder to Shizuru's. He rest his head against Shizuru's brow, sighing sadly, and nuzzling his beak into her cheek. Genkai said nothing, and looked back instead at Mitamura's three students who had finally stopped chatting. They had been going for over forty-five minutes non-stop, and concentrating on pouring the energies into the shrine. With their help, there should surely be now way for the spirit to enter once they managed to expel the small traces of her.

"Kazuma... hang in there little brother," Shizuru sighed bitterly, eyes red and wet looking. She blinked back her tears and straightened her shoulders, trying not to look as helpless as she felt. With a rare showing of tenderness, she leaned down, and pressed a kiss to Kuwabara's forehead.

"...Shizuru..."

Her eyes flew open, and she stared into her brother's eyes, and did not see him there. She gasped, and her mouth opened around a startled, 'oh,' as his hand curled around her throat, steadily crushing her windpipe.

Yukina's high pitched scream rang shrilly throughout the shrine, birds scattering from the trees outside.

Shizuru gripped her brother's wrist, as she tried to pull the hand from her throat, her nostril's flaring, and her mouth agape as she tired to find any amount of breath. Kuwabara was staring into her eyes, but it was not him that looked back. The eyes bore into her own, seething and vile-hating her for some slight she had committed. Kuwabara's mouth opened, and Ink poured from it in a wet wave, looking more like blood than ink.

"Let her go!" Genkai shouted, reaching for Kuwabara, only to be blindsided as Kuwabara lashed out with his other arm and struck her hard across the face. Genkai was sent back, stunned and dizzy, voices mingling in a blur over her. She touched her forehead, and when she pulled her hands back found blood at her finger tips.

Ryo, En, and Kai had risen, but a venomous wind was repelling them back, keeping them from coming near Kuwabara. Cries for Shizuru echoed in the room, and helplessly they could only watch as Shizuru's face changed colors as she still struggled to breathe. Kuwabara's grip became harder, and Shizuru's back stiffened as her hands weakly slackened on his wrist.

Kuwabara was slowly rising from his place on the floor, his face waxen and his eyes belonging to the violent spirit who was after his life. He opened his mouth, and a flood of black ink gushed forth again in a violent surge from his mouth. A woman's high pitched voice somehow bubbled through the ink, and echoed around the room shrieking, "He's mine, He's mine, He's mine- **HE IS MINE!"**

Kuwabara, was now on his feet, holding his sister in a vice like grip above his head. A woman's wail ripped from his throat as ink continued to flood out his mouth. The floor of the shrine was all black.

"The mudras ...the mudras... preform them! We must do it- we must cast her out! This is a show of power! She's weakening!" Genkai cried, closing her eyes against her own blood that dripped into her face.

A wind picked up from the center of the room, seeming to emanate from Kuwabara.

"Weakened?" Kai sputtered in disbelief, arms thrown out against the torrent of wind.

"She's right! This is the Yurei's last burst of strength! Do the chants!" Ryo called, his voice almost drowned out over the force of the winds.

Yukina, with gems streaming down her face, lifted a chair and with all her strength brought it down on the arm that held Shizuru, who had stopped moving long ago. Kuwabara dropped his sister, who collapsed in a crumpled heap, her hair falling over her face. She did not stir.

Kuwabara turned slow and cast his gaze upon the slight woman.

"Yukina-get away from him!"

The ice maiden didn't have a chance to escape.

Kuwabara's hand shot out and gripped her throat. Yukina's instincts kicked in, and her hands flew to the iron grip on her throat. Icy wind burst from her form in a panic, and ice formed over Kuwabara's hands under her touch. But Kuwabara held fast, seeming unable to feel the cold touch. She mouthed Kuwabara's name soundlessly, eyes pleading for him to recognize her.

He did not.

Kuwabara roared inhumanly, and held Yukina high in the air just as he had done to his sister. But instead of strangling her, Kuwabara brought Yukina close and opened his mouth wider. He loosened his grip, allowing Yukina to take in several breaths-but her frantic gasps stopped at what he did next. Twisting his head, Kuwabara was rattling his lower jaw, and it seemed to be unhinging in an unnatural manner with each shake. A crack sound filled the air, and someone screamed from within the room as Kuwabara's jaw, now broken and dangling, hung from his mouth, swinging sickeningly loose as the ink slowed, and a small white hand reached out of the darkness of Kuwabara's throat, and reached for Yukina's face.

 **"HE IS MINE!"**

 **End of Chapter 5**


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